Purpose

In recent years the Council and St Leger Homes
of Doncaster (SLHD) have been jointly involved with the delivery of
a property acquisition programme. St Leger Homes currently
administer the
programme on behalf of the Council in which property purchases and
conveyance is undertaken by the Council, the properties are brought
in to housing stock and are Council owned, St Leger
Homes then facilitate necessary repairs to appropriate standards
and subsequently let and manage the property.
This purchase has been considered in line with the need to address
the high demand for affordable rental properties including
3-bedroom homes in many areas across Doncaster where there is an
under supply of properties.
The Housing Needs Survey suggests that this property is situated in
an area of need. The property is within proximity to existing
council dwellings and is envisaged it will be utilised as a general
need property.
The four-year capital budget (2023/24-2026/27) approved on 27th
February 2023 included provision for acquisitions and buy backs of
former Council homes, to ensure as far as possible
that all housing needs are met.

Content

To support the proposal for the purchase and
repair of 41 Acacia Road, Skellow, DN6 8PP.
The purchase price is £145,000 and provisional inspections
have estimated the further investment costs to be £10,000 to
£12,000 to ensure the property is fully modernised, and up to
standard.

Alternative options considered

Option 1 – Approve the property purchase
– (recommended option)
This option will support the acquisition programme by utilising
available funds to maximise the opportunity to provide additional
housing provision across the borough in line with the Housing
Needs Survey.

Option 2 - Do Nothing
This option would lose the opportunity to deploy approved funding
to help ease the demand for properties on the housing waiting
list