Hungerford affordable homes get go-ahead, but local residents won't get priority

But, to the bitter disappointment of some civic leaders, local people will not get priority over outside applicants.
The project involves demolition of an existing building and construction of nine new dwellings with 16 parking spaces, comprising five two-bedroom houses, two three-bedroom houses and two one-bedroom maisonettes.
Tenure will be split between renting and shared ownership, the latter being seen as an affordable way to get on the housing ladder without taking out a huge mortgage.
Buyers purchase an initial share, usually between 40 and 75 per cent, and pay a discounted rent on the rest.
They have the option of buying further shares as and when they choose, until they own it outright.
But hopes that local residents could be prioritised have been dashed.
Last July, town councillor Carolann Farrell told developers Sovereign Housing: “We are giving you the opportunity to build in Hungerford - why can’t we, initially at least, stipulate that this offer is for Hungerford people only? You would lose nothing and, if not enough local buyers come forward, you could widen it.”
She added: “I feel strongly that local people in need should get the first opportunity here - why shouldn’t they be housed in their home town?”
At the time, the association’s head of development, Stuart Roberts, : “I can’t see Sovereign objecting to that but I suspect you will get a bit of resistance from West Berkshire Council.”
However he promised to raise the issue with the district council.
Town mayor Dennis Benneyworth backed the call and complained this week that the issue appeared to have been kicked into the long grass.
He added: “Our job is to champion the people of Hungerford - but we’d like to see an overall change of policy by the district council. We came up against a glass ceiling when we tried to campaign for prioritising local housing for local people.
“Having initially hoped there was some scope for such such a change, it has been pretty much knocked back now.”
But Paul Hewer (Con, Hungerford), who sits on the district council planning committee, said the proposal was unworkable.
He added: “You can’t just pull up the drawbridge and say ‘it’s for people born in Hungerford only.’ We have to be open to everybody, and rightly so. It would be discrimination otherwise.
A planning officer’s report revealed concerns over the development had included highway safety, access and impact on the environment.
But it concluded: “The proposed new development is considered to be a sustainable form of development and would help support the local economy, provide environmental enhancements to the locality and a socially cohesive development which would not harm the amenity of either future or existing local residents.”