North Norfolk: Leader says more housing is priority

Tim Adams, leader of North Norfolk District Council, has been speaking after a national study was carried out to assess the impact of the government's 'levelling up' agenda on parts of the coasts which have suffered from deprivation in recent decades.

Its founding showed that household incomes in some of Norfolk's coastal communities are almost £3,000 lower than in inland areas.

A graphic showing median rates of pay across the regions, with the East of England coming third (Image: Pragmatix Advisory)

As well as poorer health, education, transport and broadband links are also identified as areas of concern detailed in Communities on the Edge, a study by Pragmatix Advisory commissioned by the Coastal Communities Alliance and local government groups.

Mr Adams believes there are three key factors that need addressing in order to battle deprivation; housing, wages, and benefits - but the biggest area that needs addressing is housing.

The council leader said NNDC currently has 68 households living in temporary accommodation, with 18 council-owned properties, and the other 50 living in BnBs.

im Adams, leader of North Norfolk District Council (Image: North Norfolk Council)

“NNDC looked at developing a housing company to go out and work with housing trusts and build affordable homes, but was prevented by government changes in the way local government can borrow money, being able to borrow with low interest would be beneficial, but getting a hold of the land and delivery them is hard,” he said.

Mr Adams added there is a lot of pressure on the housing stock, with NNDC having around 2,300 people on its housing waiting list, but a core of about 500 people who really need housing.

This had led to overcrowding, housing which is not energy efficient and sadly seen problems with landlords.

North Norfolk District Council’s temporary accommodation facilities just outside of Fakenham (Image: NNDC)

“With the pressure on housing, that makes it more likely that those things will occur, we need to build modern energy-efficient homes for people’s needs, which we are not doing,” Mr Adams added.

“The pressure as well on people’s living cost is the worse it has been in a long time, I would have liked to have seen VAT reduction to help people.”

NNDC has tried to address issues around deprivation in places across the district, like Fakenham and Cromer’s levelling up bids - which were both rejected.