A SOMERSET council has vowed to build 1,000 new council houses across the district within the next three decades.

Somerset West and Taunton Council has made the pledge as part of a review of how it manages its existing social housing stock and pays for new ones to be built.

The council is able to borrow more money to build council homes as a result of changes in central government rules which came into force in late-2018.

But officers have not specified exactly where the new homes will be delivered up to 2050.

The council’s executive committee approved its new housing policy when it met in Taunton on Wednesday evening (January 22).

The council currently manages more than 5,700 homes across the district, the majority being social rent.

This aspect of the council has an annual turnover of £26 million in the form of rents, service charges and other associated fees.

Central government had previously capped the amount councils could borrow to build new council houses – but this cap was removed in October 2018.

James Barrah, the council’s director of housing, said this move “heralds a new era of growth opportunity, as we can afford to prudently borrow significantly more to allow more investment in existing and new homes.”

Mr Barrah said in his written report 1,000 new homes would be provided “through a range of housing options” up to 2050.

These new homes – including the ongoing Woolaway regeneration scheme in the North Taunton area – will be energy efficient, so they would “help to combat climate change through their fabric and design.”

The council will also continue to work with housing associations to bring forward homes, including small-scale developments where they are needed in rural area.

Council leader Federica Smith-Roberts said the authority should keep pushing itself to help those in need of decent housing.

She said: “We should constantly challenge ourselves to do more. We have 4,000 people on our waiting list and we need to do more for them.

“We need to do that hand in hand with the work on the climate emergency.”

As of November 7, 2019 – the most recent figures available – 4,408 households within the Somerset West and Taunton district had applied for housing on the Homefinder Somerset system.

For every one property registered on the portal between July and September 2019, there were an average of 82 bids per property.

A single one-bed bungalow in central Taunton received a whopping 296 bids in the same period.

Besides the Woolaway site, the council has not singled out any particular sites where new homes could be constructed.

However, the council’s Local Plan (which it is consulting upon at the moment) indicates just over two thirds (68.3 per cent) of new homes over the next two decades will be delivered in Taunton – which includes both social housing and private developments.

Wellington will take the next highest amount with 13.1 per cent, followed by Bishop’s Lydeard, Watchet, Williton and Wiveliscombe (8.1 per cent), Minehead (6.3 per cent) and then other rural settlements (4.2 per cent).

Councillor Dave Mansell (who represent Wiveliscombe and District) said more work was needed to make existing homes more energy efficient.

He said: “In this report, it does include retrofitting our housing to make homes warm and comfortable for people, and cheaper to run.

“That does mean improving insulation and heating systems – for me, that should be a major part of this plan.”

The committee voted to approve the business plan, which will come before the full council for final ratification on February 19.