We have welcomed the recent announcement from the MHCLG on new funding and flexibilities to accelerate the delivery of social and affordable homes, including a specific allocation to Torbay Council, from the Council Housebuilding Support Fund (CHSF).

The government’s overall package, which includes additional funding, improved borrowing arrangements and updated Decent Homes Standards, aims to support councils and housing providers to increase the supply of good‑quality, energy‑efficient homes and reduce the number of families living in temporary accommodation. This announcement offers valuable measures that can help us to speed up the delivery of much needed affordable homes for local households.

These measures come ahead of this month’s opening of the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, which aims to deliver around 300,000 homes over its lifetime, with at least 60% for social rent. Councils – like Torbay - will also find it easier to build again, with the threshold for opening a Housing Revenue Account rising from 200 to 1,000 homes, reducing administrative burdens and helping us to deliver more of the homes we need on brownfield and other infill sites.

Councillor Alan Tyerman, Cabinet Member for Housing and Finance, said:

“Torbay Council faces significant costs in providing Temporary Accommodation and housing support for residents for whom we have a statutory duty of care, and the Council has already taken action to provide housing solutions to reduce the number of families and young adults in Temporary Accommodation.

I am therefore pleased to see that the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme will create fresh opportunities to further the provision of homes to enhance lives whilst reducing Council costs. The Council's intervention will remain focused on brownfield developments and regenerating redundant sites as a way of meeting Torbay's housing need.

We have already progressed several schemes aimed at delivering new homes, regenerating brownfield land, and improving the quality of existing stock. This includes:

• Expanding our own development pipeline, with a focus on delivering genuinely affordable homes for local residents. The first project in a council initiative to turn derelict hotels into rental housing is now complete. Brampton House in Torquay has been transformed into 14 energy‑efficient one‑ and two‑bedroom apartments. We have also acquired and cleared (in preparation for redevelopment) the former Seabury Hotel in Torquay and is working at pace to unlock a range of other sites for new social housing in Paignton, Torquay and Brixham. Construction will also complete on 23-homes for social rent, for older people, at the site of the former St. Kilda’s Care Home in Brixham, later this year.
• Working with housing association partners to unlock stalled sites and bring forward new social rent properties.
• Investing in temporary accommodation solutions to reduce reliance on costly nightly‑paid placements.
• A major package of urban regeneration schemes to revitalise our town centres, including redevelopment of the former Crossways

We will continue working closely with government and local partners to ensure Torbay is well‑positioned to benefit from future opportunities and maximise investment in the Bay. By maintaining a clear focus on regeneration, affordability, and long‑term resilience, the Council aims to build on this momentum and ensure that Torbay benefits fully from the new national programme and the additional tools now available to support local housing delivery.