SEDGEMOOR District Council is investigating ways to meet a target of 20 per cent of all homes in the district being built by the council by 2030.

Currently just three per cent of housing in the district is directly delivered by the council, with 22 per cent of homes built 'enabled with partners' and 75 per cent is market led.

The aim by 2030 is that 20 per cent is delivered by the council, 23 per cent 'enabled with partners' and 57 per cent market led.

Sedgemoor currently owns around 4,000 homes managed by Homes in Sedgemoor, and after 30 years of inactivity, the authority has recently begun building homes.

A new report has been produced by Sedgemoor District Council's Housing Team entitled 'Building More Council Homes 2019 - 2022, Development Programme'.

In the report it states: "Housing maybe high on the national agenda but that is not why we are determined to achieve great things locally.

"We are doing it because it is the right thing to do and now is the right time to do it.

"Despite consistently delivering, year-on-year, above target numbers of new housing, Sedgemoor District Council is committing itself to accelerating the pace and number of homes over the coming years."

"There is a widespread and well-publicised need to increase the number of houses built across all tenures in England.

"The government estimated that there would be an additional 2.2m newly forming households in the decade up to 2021.

"The number of new homes built each year has consistently fallen well short of the new homes required.

"The combination of rising demand and constraint on supply have created something commonly referred to as the housing crisis."

Sedgemoor District Council has built 51 new affordable homes in the last five years, but the unprecedented demand for housing means SDC is aiming to deliver 644 new homes across all tenure mixes each year.

It states in the report: "Although we have overseen the delivery of impressive numbers of new affordable homes over the past decade the demand for affordable housing for rent and sale continues to grow.

"Growth in homelessness continues to be a challenge for the authority and there are increasing numbers of people on the housing register.

"There is increased local pressure in meeting the needs of single people, older and more vulnerable residents."

The report also highlights the importance of tackling climate change to the council and says SDC-built homes will be high quality in terms of energy and sustainability, design and durability.

"We are keen to take the lead in delivering modern homes for the future. We will encourage others to follow our lead," it states in the report.

The report outlines six methods the council can use to increase its ability to deliver its own homes including continuing to redevelop council-owned land and assets, continue to repurchase former council properties lost under the Right To Buy Scheme, purchase individual new build units from local housebuilders, unlock private sector development sites that have stalled, secure new sources of development subsidy and create units using S106 funding.

The report continues: "The Council is mindful that the majority of the projects will be close to existing housing stock both privately owned and owned by the Council.

"The Council is very aware that building more homes will bring changes but if done in a sensitive way and to a high standard there is no reason why this should not be acceptable.

"All our developments will be the subject to some degree of public consultation prior to finalising any plans and submitting a planning application.

"Where our tenants are directly affected, we will discuss proposals early in the process, outline their housing options and support them in making a choice.

"The aim will be to enable households to stay within their community if they wish. The Council will help residents move either permanently or temporarily, into suitable housing in an area of their choice.

"In many cases, residents will have the opportunity of returning to one of the new properties.

"In most cases, tenants who have to move will be entitled to compensation.

"We will talk to those affected by the redevelopment of garages and parking bays prior to finalising our plans and where possible offer an alternative vacant garage nearby."

The reports outlines a number of sites for Phase Two and Three of the council house development programme, which are listed below with the potential number of units created at each site.

Phase 2 - 2018 to 2021

Former Withycutter, Bridgwater - 9 units

Alpha House, Highbridge - 7 units

Repurchases and off the shelf purchases - 5

Chamberlain Avenue, Bridgwater - 4

Saxon Way, Bridgwater - 5

Penlea House, phase one - 36

Phase 3 - 2019 onwards

Saltlands House, Bridgwater - 50

Elmside House, Bridgwater - 35

Taunton Road, Bridgwater - 9

Rooksbridge Garages, Rooksbridge - 12

Squares Lane, Chilton Trinity - 8

Morland/Pearce Drive - 10

Brent Knoll - 7

Bridgwater and Highbridge - 10

The report states that business cases will be created for the above projects and the council will look to add further projects will be added to Phase Three.

The report will be discussed at the Sedgemoor District Council Corporate Scrutiny meeting to be held on Tuesday, September 3 at 2.30pm in Bridgwater House.