HEA8 (PP) - Meeting local housing needs

The City will ensure that everyone has access to a decent, safe and affordable home, which is suited to their needs, promotes health and is located in a community where they want to live, by:

1. Identifying sites and delivering programmes to develop a range of new and affordable homes to rent and buy, this includes:
   1. Bringing empty homes back into use and converting vacant buildings into new homes where appropriate.
   2. Enabling older people to promote, secure and sustain their independence in a home appropriate to their needs, including through the provision of housing across all tenures in sustainable locations and through the provision of Disabled Facilities Adaptations. This will include increased provision for retirement accommodation, extra care and residential care housing.
   3. Enabling the provision of high quality housing for younger people and that considers specialist needs and ensures that young people can live close to their families in Plymouth.
   4. Bringing forward suitable self build and custom build opportunities to help meet identified needs in the city.
   5. Increasing choice in housing by greater utilisation of the private rented sector, including new build private sector rented accommodation (Build to Rent).
   6. Deliver an increased range of specialist housing such as accessible wheelchair accommodation and supported accommodation to meet the needs of the most vulnerable.
2. Targeting intervention and resources to improve the standard, quality and management of private sector housing.
3. Focusing on the tackling and prevention of homelessness, including rough sleeping, and its wider impact.
4. Tackling fuel poverty through supporting supplier switching, fuel debt relief, and community-led energy supply services, and promoting domestic and non-domestic energy efficiency.
5. Ensuring decent housing is recognised as a key determinant of health and wellbeing.

Complementary use of planning powers will be made to ensure that housing development provides an appropriate number, form, mix and type to meet the needs of all sectors of the community.