Housing Baltic Wharf scheme could have just one affordable home – and not on site

PLANS to build flats on the site of a Harbourside caravan club have now been changed so developers could pay for just one affordable home.

- Alex SEABROOK

The council-owned Goram Homes now has planning permission to build 166 flats at Baltic Wharf with a single affordable home elsewhere.

Critics threw doubts over a promise that a government grant would pay for 66 affordable flats on the development. Sovereign Network Group, a housing association, is planning to get money from Homes England to buy the 66 flats from Goram, but a contract hasn't been signed yet.

Because of the rising costs of construction, Goram Homes said they could no longer afford to build the affordable housing itself, and needed the government to step in with financial help. This meant that had to apply to Bristol City Council to change the planning permission.

Both Sovereign and Goram pledged the 66 affordable housing will still get built, and the plans were approved by the development control B committee on Monday. But they failed to convince campaigners and some councillors, who feared the promises weren't set in stone.