Welcome to the latest edition of our newsletter on North Devon housing news. 

In this newsletter we'll let you know about:

• North Devon Housing Strategy adopted
• NDC is a registered social housing provider
• Healthy Homes
• Housing Officer at the Ilfracombe Centre
• Update from the Housing Options team
• Hub in Green Lanes
• Government funding for home improvements
• Energy efficiency grants and loans
• Rough sleeper and outreach update
• Homes for Ukraine
• Refugee Week
• Empty Homes project update
• Compliments for our Housing team

North Devon Council has adopted a new Housing Strategy, which sets out a high-level vision and objectives as to how the council plans to meet the housing needs and hopes of our communities.

In a meeting of the council's Strategy and Resources Committee on 12 May 2025, members decided to adopt the strategy following a public consultation over six weeks during February and March this year.

The strategy will guide the council's activities in delivering and discharging its housing functions and responsibilities, whilst ensuring that resources and efforts are best directed to tackle the housing challenges that the area faces.

Read more

Following support from the public and our members to adopt the Housing Strategy, the council has now registered itself with the Regulator of Social Housing to become a Local Authority Registered Provider of Social Housing.

This means that the council can now hold and provide social housing for the first time in 25 years.

Currently we have 24 units of social rent properties that we are developing and will be advertised through Devon Home Choice. We will continue to look for other housing opportunities, working with Homes England to help finance those homes.

This approach was fully supported in our consultation of the Housing Strategy, with 85% of responders saying they think we should take this approach. Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond and inform our decision.

Now that we have approval to hold social housing, we are working on two schemes.

One scheme in Barnstaple will look to provide 10 units of accommodation with financial support from the Future High Street Fund, linked to the wider regeneration project.

Another scheme in Ilfracombe will aim to deliver 14 units of accommodation using  funds from the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority of just under £2m.

We recognise that Ilfracombe has high levels of deprivation and some very poor housing, where large houses have been converted into bedsits and small units of accommodation. To help inform this project we have been working with the Poverty Truth Commission and Community Commissioners who are helping to inform the specification for these homes, based on their experience of living in unhealthy homes. Their insights and feedback are just what we need to ensure we make a real positive difference to these properties.

Currently the Housing Options team are working on an average of 32 new cases being opened every week.

The team asks that, if anyone has a risk of being homeless, they raise a housing case on the North Devon Council website as early as possible. This then gives the housing officer time to speak with the landlord/letting agent to try and prevent the homeless threat and allow the client to remain in their home. Keeping a client in their home makes it less stressful for the client and the landlord, it avoids the use of emergency/temporary accommodation and keeps costs down for everyone.

We can also look to co-ordinate with support agencies to provide support during this stressful time.

We are able to help support paying off rent arrears to allow the client to remain in the property or help with a deposit and rent in advance payments if a move is unavoidable. We also refer to 361 Energy, which helps provide guidance and assistance with utility bills and energy efficiency.

Housing Options

A new North Devon Council customer service hub in Barnstaple town centre is set to open its doors this June.

The Town Centre Hub in Green Lanes Shopping Centre will open on Monday 16 June 2025, making it easier for residents to access face-to-face advice - including housing advice.

The hub's opening will provide an expanded customer service offering. It will be open Monday to Friday, 9am until 5pm, providing help and assistance to customers who are unable to use online or phone contact.

Thanks go to our contractors, Grills.

Every year, Rural Housing Week highlights the many social and economic benefits of affordable housing to rural communities.

This year, Rural Housing Week will take place from 7-11 July. This year's campaign will be an opportunity to highlight what rural communities need from the long-term housing strategy, and why delivering affordable housing in rural areas is key to supporting the country's ambitions for removing barriers to growth and opportunity.

Find out how the team at Hastoe has helped give security, independence and hope to one Devon man after seven years of homelessness:

With support from North Devon Council’s Enhanced Outreach Team, Hastoe Housing Association and the Salvation Army, one North Devon man has been able to rebuild his life and now looks forward to a brighter future in rural affordable housing. Read about his story:

Hastoe home gives Devon man hope for the future

North Devon residents are encouraged to register their interest for the latest government funded scheme targetted at homeowners and private tenants on a low income in poorly performing homes (eligibility criteria to be announced).  Devon Councils have been awarded grant funding to deliver significant home improvements, such as insulation, low carbon heating upgrades and solar panels to reduce energy bills in poorly performing homes across Devon.  Residents can submit their contact details via this link at this pre-application stage:  Warm Homes: Local Grant - Energy Saving Devon

Additionally, residents of North Devon can apply straightaway for home improvement measures to improve the warmth and ventilation of their homes whether owned or rented via Energy efficiency grants and loans | North Devon Council

Our Enhanced Outreach team works with the district's rough sleepers to support their needs and - where accepted - help them into bricks and mortar accommodation. The team says:

"At this time we have four rough sleepers in Barnstaple. 16 clients are in rough sleeper temporary accommodation.

"As always we are working hard to identify housing solutions for all as and when clients are ready to accept this. In the interim we will continue to offer welfare support."

https://www.thepickwellfoundation.org.uk/homes-for-ukraine/Devon-based charity, The Pickwell Foundation works locally to provide assistance to refugees and asylum seekers, including offering support to Ukrainians and their sponsors in northern Devon through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Please help, if you can, by spreading the word...

Refugee Week is the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.

Established in 1998 in the UK, Refugee Week takes place every year around World Refugee Day (20th June) and has since grown into a global movement.

Refugee Week celebrates the contributions of refugees and people seeking sanctuary in order to challenge negative stereotypes and create a space where refugees can be seen and heard beyond their experience of displacement. We believe that everyone has a contribution to make, and reject the idea that people seeking safety should have to ‘prove their worth’ more than others in society.

Now an international movement, Refugee Week is celebrated by events spanning the globe. To discover events near you or to connect with local, regional, or international organisers, visit Refugee Week's contacts page.

Our Empty Homes Project sets out to reduce the number of long-term empty homes in North Devon, increase the housing supply in the district and tackle empty property nuisance issues.

The Empty Homes team is calling on any home owners who are considering letting their property to contact them at emptyhomes@northdevon.gov.uk. They can provide valuable advice and a range of support to assist potential landlords successfully let their empty home. 

Order for Sale and Enforced Sale

Our legal services are currently working on auction packs for a property in South Molton which we intend to sell following the grant of an Order for Sale at the County Court and the enforced sale of a property in Ilfracombe to recover our costs of works to the property following non-compliance with a notice requiring the owner to carry out improvements. We hope to market both properties for sale very soon.

Enforcement Action

We have issued notices requiring improvements to the appearance of an additional seven properties. Of these;

• One property in Barnstaple has been sold subject to contract and we will engage with the new owner (the responsibility for compliance with the notice passes to the new owner)
• One property in Ilfracombe has been repossessed and has been sold at auction. We will engage with the new owner (the responsibility for compliance with the notice passes to the new owner)
• We are about to appoint a contractor to carry out works in default of a notice relating to another property in Barnstaple and will seek to recover our costs form the estate of the deceased owner
• We have served notices on six other empty homes requiring improvement works. These are still within the notice compliance period, but three of these are now being marketed for sale and we will engage with the new owners

Compliance has been secured on eight further properties to improve their appearance (without the need to issue a notice). Two of the properties are now for sale and one is now occupied.   

Deceased Estates

We proactively engage with executors of deceased estates to encourage them to apply for probate and bring the empty property back into use. These cases require sensitive engagement as we are often engaging with relatives of a loved one that has died with the property remaining empty. We are currently engaging with executors in relation to 17 properties that have remained unoccupied prior to 2024. 

Lendology Loans

Two developments to renovate empty homes using loans with our partner Lendology are due to be completed shortly. Both properties have been unoccupied for a number of years. One in Barnstaple will provide two flats and the other near Instow will become a family home for a local resident. We look forward to providing a further update when the works complete.

Improvement Notices and Prohibition Orders

We are currently reviewing notices and orders issued under the Housing Act 2004 which require improvement works to homes and which may prohibit occupation, due to their condition. We want to work with owners to secure improvements and bring them back into use.  

Information and advice on the Empty Homes project, including how to report an empty home and advice for home owners, is now available on the council's website at www.northdevon.gov.uk/empty-homes-project. 

For more information about the loan scheme, visit www.lendology.org.uk or call Lendology on 01823 461099.

Empty Homes Project

A customer called in to thank our team for the grant that facilitated the installation of a level access shower, saying that it has "changed her life."

Thanks were received from a member of public to a housing officer for her help and patience. She was relieved to be able to see someone and get some help with a form she needed to submit to Housing and described our officer as "brilliant."

"Thanks so much for all your help, wouldn't have done it without you!"

"I just wanted to send a quick message to say a huge thank you for thinking of us for this property. Although my initial reaction wasn’t the best, I have to say it’s amazing, and we are so happy here. We’re really grateful for the opportunity - even though it’s temporary, it feels great to be out of the holiday park, and we truly appreciate it."

"Thanks so much for letting me stay there, I’m very grateful for having the extra days to move my things over."