Purpose

For Cabinet to agree the updated
Buckinghamshire Housing Strategy 2024 to 2029 following the
councillor, stakeholder organisation and public consultation
exercise

Content

Development of the
Buckinghamshire Housing Strategy took place in Spring and Summer of
2023. A public and stakeholder consultation on the housing strategy
took place between 8 November 2023 and 18 January 2024. This public
consultation included an all member briefing and discussion at the
14 December 2023 Growth Infrastructure and Housing Select Committee
meeting as well as other targeted engagement.
 
The responses to the
consultation indicated that there is broad agreement of the vision,
the three priorities, and the critical success factors. One theme,
from the comments to the consultation, raised queries around
delivery and action plans. These plans were under development and
would align to the final strategy once adopted. Changes to the
housing strategy (detailed in Appendix 2 of the report) had been
incorporated in the final version for agreement at Cabinet and
later at full Council for adoption.
 
The Buckinghamshire Housing
Strategy had been devised for the five-year period 2024 to 2029.
The vision for the housing strategy was:
 
A strong housing offer that
provides affordable, accessible, sustainable and suitable choices
are all life stages.
 
The three strategic priorities
for the housing strategy were:
• Priority One -
Understanding the housing needs of our diverse
population.
• Priority Two - Better
Homes: good quality, sustainable and matched to need.
• Priority Three - New
Homes: affordable, accessible and appropriate.
 
The final housing strategy was
scheduled to be presented to Full Council on 17 April 2024 for
proposed adoption.
 
RESOLVED that Cabinet note the response to the recent public
consultation and recommend the proposed amendments (in Appendix 2)
to the draft Buckinghamshire Housing Strategy 2024-2029 to Full
Council.