Tynwald to debate 1,000 affordable homes plan

Proposals look to address housing shortages, empty properties, and homelessness

Plans to provide up to 1,000 affordable homes over the next decade are set to be debated in Tynwald this week.

The programme, proposed to begin in April 2025, is contingent on politicians voting to accept the Housing and Communities Board’s Policy Response to the Island’s first Objective Assessment of Housing Need.

The initiative aims to address housing shortages by building, providing, or facilitating affordable homes based on ongoing assessments of housing needs.

However progress will depend on securing funding, identifying development sites, and managing construction resources.

Chair of the Housing and Communities Board David Ashford told Manx Radio while there's no quick solution to the challenges facing the Island, the policy response prioritises increasing the availability of affordable and general housing.

The board also seeks to address homelessness, review shared equity schemes for first-time buyers, and tackle the issue of empty properties across the Island.

The OAHN, which analyses the Isle of Man's current and future housing, needs predicted as many as 10,000 new builds will be needed by 2041 assuming the government population increase to 100,000 is met.

It forms the basis for a policy framework aimed at ensuring safe, affordable, and accessible housing for all residents.

Key proposals include:

• The potential establishment of an independent Housing Association in April 2025 to act as a landlord for public sector housing and potentially expand housing supply
• The re-use of 48 empty public sector properties
• A commitment to identify government sites for supported living accommodation within the next 12 months

Short-term goals focus on repairing ageing public sector housing that is currently uninhabitable due to high restoration costs.

If approved, the policy response would align with broader objectives in the Island Plan, Economic Strategy, and recommendations from the Tynwald Select Committee on Poverty.

Mr Ashford spoke to Manx Radio's Christian Jones:

You can listen to the full interview below: