What is the policy trying to achieve?    

To deliver our new build programme which has a current target of 2,150 new homes by 2027 and 5,000 new homes by 2035.

If this policy is subject to the FSD what does it suggest about the impact or potential impact on socio-economic disadvantage? (please refer to FSD Interim Guidance)

Low income

The provision of new affordable social rented housing seeks to increase opportunity of availability to a safe, warm and affordable home with lower energy costs from energy efficiency.

Low Wealth

Improved accessibility standards and flexible housing designed to address changing life needs will support people with more complex needs to live independently in their own homes.

Material deprivation

New homes with provision to enable access to internet and other media services will support the reduction of material deprivation.

Area deprivation

New homes designed to be warm, safe and secure will aim to support the health and well-being of communities.

Give details of the impact it has on groups and individuals

• The new build housing programme will provide properties catering for and capable of adaptation to support the needs of older people.
• The new build housing programme will provide properties catering for and capable of adaptation to support people with disabilities or long-term health problems.
• The new build programme will increase the supply of housing to meet housing need in the area which will specifically assist homeless people.

The provision of housing which meets the needs of older people and people with disabilities and / or long-term health conditions will promote equality of opportunity between the groups identified above and the general population through the development of mixed sites.

Research has shown that disabled people face particular adverse housing challenges.  Provision of affordable, accessible, high-quality housing assists disabled people in overcoming these challenges. 

In a similar way, mixed housing sites will also promote relations between these protected characteristic groups and the general population.  A mixed housing site includes a combination of mainstream housing and bespoke housing for disabled and/or older people within an integrated environment to promote social inclusion and improve health and well-being.

Similarly mixed developments provide integration of people with different socio-economic backgrounds and circumstances; all developments whether mixed or for a particular client group or group with particular needs provides access to safe, warm affordable homes with opportunities to link to media services that promote accessibility to facilities that may reduce both area and material deprivation.

Consultation

• Extensive involvement and consultation with older people through the Housing Strategy for Older People and the Local Housing Strategy completed on an ongoing / annual basis.
• On-going liaison with NLC Play Services in relation to local provision for young people.
• Liaison with the Co-production Group which involves local people with disabilities on each individual new-build site to improve on accessibility and design for people with long-term health conditions and/or disabilities.
• Regular liaison with older people and disabled people service user representatives through the frailty and long-term conditions partnership board.

On-going involvement and consultation with the Co-production Group will help inform future new-build plans to help ensure that council new build housing meets the needs of people with disabilities and older people. 

Involvement with the North Lanarkshire Federation of Tenants and Residents Ambition Sub-Group will add to informed positions relating to known and desired needs.

Discussions between NLC Occupational Therapy Staff and New Supply Team on good practice design for older took place in 2017.  Subsequent seminars on dementia design were attended by New Supply Staff in 2018.  These help ensure that new-build housing is well designed and meets the needs of older people and people with disabilities.

Further research and data is required in terms of the needs for specialist housing provision.  It is envisaged that this will be attained through further development of the locality health and social care profiles as integrated health and social care teams become more established and through ongoing and further analysis of housing data.

What measures are planned to mitigate any adverse impact or promote equality?

Commitment to measures which continue to gather further evidence to identify the housing needs of different protected characteristic groups will help to inform the new build programme.

The New Supply Programme includes continuous review of the outcomes relating to each new-build site to determine any positive or negative identifiable issues.  This is in the form of both technical reviews (including multiple services e.g. Planning / Occupational Therapists / Architects / Maintenance staff) and tenant surveys.

Continuing involvement of the Co-Production group will help identify the impact and effectiveness of the new supply programme.

In compliance with the council’s Project Management System, New Supply has adopted a system of monitoring of Lessons Learned throughout the development process.  This requires the recording of relevant lessons learned.  A record of all recorded lessons has been established within the management system and this is reviewed on an annual and quarterly basis within the New Supply Team.

What is the result/ recommendations of the EqIA?

Maintain the existing policy following this review.