Council's new housing strategy adopted

North Devon Council has adopted a new draft housing strategy, which sets out a high-level vision and objectives as to how the council plans to meet the housing needs and hopes of our communities.

In a meeting of the council's Strategy and Resources Committee on 12 May 2025, members decided to adopt the strategy following a public consultation over six weeks during February and March this year. The strategy will guide the council's activities in delivering and discharging its housing functions and responsibilities, whilst ensuring that resources and efforts are best directed to tackle the housing challenges that the area faces.

The strategy was prepared in full consultation with a working group of councillors, who were involved through a dedicated workshop and feedback sessions. It is built on a foundation of three themes:

• Prevent homelessness: Preventing homelessness by supporting citizens to stay in their current home if they have one, but if this isn’t possible or they are already homeless seek to help them find alternative solutions.
• Provide new housing supply: Supply new housing to meet social demand, delivering affordable and sustainable healthy homes wherever possible.
• Make homes healthy: Improving the quality of existing homes making them safe and healthy, in turn making their occupants healthy too.

Lead Member for Housing at North Devon Council, Councillor Graham Bell said: "We had an amazing and engaged response to our strategy consultation. We have listened to all responses and are delighted that it has now been adopted. Our aim with this housing strategy is to deliver the right housing to meet local needs. North Devon faces a widening imbalance between supply and demand and a need to increase the availability of decent, and accessible accommodation for local families. We have a big challenge on our hands with housing in North Devon, but the new strategy provides a framework through which we can address it."

The strategy was compiled following the publication of the Devon Housing Commission Report in July 2024, championed by Lord Richard Best with inputs from councils across Devon.

The council carefully considered all of the comments received during the consultation period and updated the strategy as necessary and appropriate to reflect feedback. The strategy will be published on the council's website in the next few days.