Residents invited to join housing conversation

People are being encouraged to have their say on a new housing strategy for County Durham.

Durham County Council is asking residents to join its housing conversation, a public consultation which will aid the development of its new housing strategy for 2024, updating and replacing the strategy agreed in 2019.

The proposed new strategy sets out the vision that, by 2035, County Durham will be a place that has good quality homes that meet the needs of existing and future residents, and that they can afford.

It also aims to deliver quality housing that supports economic growth and contributes to
improved health, and which creates and maintains sustainable, mixed, and balanced communities where people live long and independent lives.

Cllr James Rowlandson, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for resources, investment and assets, said: “The housing strategy is being developed to ensure we are well positioned as a council to deliver good quality and affordable housing that enables communities to stay connected, and residents to live long and independent lives.

“As such, it is important to us that we get the views of residents as we develop this strategy.

“As well as working with residents, the proposals will be delivered in partnership through the county’s housing forum, the private sector, and other relevant agencies.

“The current housing strategy will remain in place until the new one is ready, which we expect to be in March next year.”

As part of its aim to create a conversation around housing, the council has launched an eight-week public consultation which will run until Friday, August 18.

It has outlined a number of ways in which residents can take part, and it is particularly keen to get the opinions of young people.

People can get involved in the housing conversation by:

• Filling in an online survey.
• Attending an online question and answer event and fill in a survey at the end. These will be held on 12 July at 6pm, and 18 July at 11am.
• Visiting a Customer Access Point or one of the council’s libraries to request a paper copy of the survey.
• Contacting the council at [email protected] with comments and questions.

Partners, voluntary organisations, and industry professionals can also join the conversation by filling in the online survey or by contacting [email protected].