COUNCILLORS have heaped praise on town hall officers for their role in delivering a range of housing across the borough.

A town hall report revealed Wigan hit its housing target for the first time since the borough’s Core Strategy blueprint was adopted five years ago.

And a town hall committee was informed this week the 948 houses built in the last financial year actually marks the first time in a decade the government-set requirement has been met.

Members also heard the council – working alongside private developers and social housing providers – had catered for different sectors of society with their new build programme, with many more schemes set to be delivered in the next few years.

Chairman of the confident places scrutiny committee, Cllr John O’Brien, told assistant director Marie Bintley this was a significant achievement, a sentiment echoed by several of his colleagues.

He said: “This caters for all of our residents, not just a few. It’s for the young, the old, those who are disabled or who have special needs.

“I don’t think in all the years I’ve been on the council I’ve seen something that is as encompassing as this, and I thank you for that.

“We must commend you for this and your team.”

An update report on the council’s housing delivery programme revealed the government’s revised local housing need assessment was 944 for the last year, meaning Wigan can now demonstrate a five year supply of housing land.

This gives the town hall a stronger position to resist inappropriate development and "it is imperative this position is maintained", the report said.

Committee members were told the council had delivered one of the highest rates of affordable homes in Greater Manchester with more than 300 built during the year.

In addition to affordable homes, schemes for elderly residents had been completed such as properties at Little Lane, Goose Green, a supported housing scheme at Mayfield Road, Orrell, and bungalows at Anthorn Road, Winstanley.

Regeneration schemes such as the ongoing plans for Worsley Mesnes and Sandalwood Drive in Beech Hill were also referenced as developments that will boost figures in the next few years. 

Meanwhile, work is underway on two developments in Hindley and Golborne to provide 64 affordable homes specially designed for residents with autism, learning disabilities, physical disabilities or older people. 

The report said: “It is necessary to ensure that the needs of all residents of the borough are being met. The council will be stepping up its own direct housing delivery programme and we are working with registered providers to increase the scale of delivery in the borough.”

Earlier this month, GM mayor Andy Burnham, along with the region’s 10 town halls, unveiled the latest draft of the spatial framework, outlining housing and industrial development for the next two decades. 

It includes provision for around 21,000 in Wigan borough, 60 per cent of which will be built on brownfield sites, the council has said.

For those targets to be achieved, the annual housing delivery figure would need to increase to 1,126.

In a town hall statement about hitting the housing target, leader of the council David Molyneux said: “We’re committed to providing quality, affordable housing for local people to help them get onto the property ladder while also supporting the local economy to thrive.

“We’re also proud of our strong links with the private sector as this partnership not only supports the delivery of housing but engages apprentices and contributes to the local community through securing section 106 monies. 

“We will continue to work with owners to bring brownfield sites forward otherwise these sites will remain undeveloped, ultimately putting pressure on green field land supply.

“We are now meeting the borough’s need for housing in numerical terms and we’re in a stronger position to have more of a say regarding where development opportunities should take place.

“Although we’re delivering house building at a pace that meets our housing requirement, this pace needs to be maintained to ensure our borough continues to thrive.

“Our focus for 2019 will be bringing forward brownfield sites, stalled sites and key town centre sites while encouraging people to live and work here and ensuring the best interests of local people are met.”