WATCHET town council has joined the fight to prevent vulnerable tenants being evicted from their homes if their landlord’s planning application to sell their “affordable “housing is successful. 

Elderly or seriously-ill tenants of five flats at Malthouse Court and Mill Street Bakery, Watchet, say they will have nowhere else to live and cannot afford anything more expensive if their landlords, Acorn Homes of Taunton, get the go-ahead from Somerset Council planners to sell the flats at 20 per cent below market value.

Applying to alter an S106 agreement to “convert affordable rented tenure to discounted sales,” Acorn Homes claim that they can no longer continue to service the low rent flats and can’t find anyone willing to take them on.

Residents who have objected to the applications include occupants of the flats. One wrote: “I have never been through so much stress. Not one person has contacted me personally. I find the way this has been done is disgusting.”

In its objection, Watchet town council said: “There has been no consultation by Acorn Properties with their tenants. This is most deplorable and, we consider, unethical.  “Somerset Council should refuse these applications because to approve them would render Watchet residents homeless at a time of housing shortage.

“We also understand that several of the tenants have health issues likely to have been made worse by the threat of eviction and homelessness.

“Watchet town council would support a decision by Somerset Council to take on the properties themselves to enable their social rented status to be preserved.  

“We urge that Somerset Council do all in their power, including refusal of the applications, in order to prevent Watchet residents becoming homeless.”   

Local Somerset Council member Rosemary Woods added: “There is a dearth of properties available to rent in Watchet, and therefore I cannot agree to the change of use from rental to affordable unless there is acknowledgement of the fact that there appears to be ‘sitting tenants’ in these properties.”

Resident Allison Anderson pointed out that the proposal to sell the properties below market rate did not address the fundamental challenges faced by people seeking affordable housing and who lack the financial resources required for home ownership.

Johnny Woodward added: “This application simply fails due to the catastrophic administrative errors by the applicant and the local planning authority. These errors have caused considerable distress and complete confusion regarding the precise properties Acorn Developers are seeking to off load from their S106 responsibilities.”

Michael Risbridger, who lives in one of the rented properties, said: “At no point was I informed about the planning on this property. I was under the impression it would be a long-term let.”

Somerset Council’s Development Enabling Specialist team told planners that a 20 per cent discount on the sale of the properties would not be acceptable.

“The application should be updated to include a proposal on how the affected tenants will be rehoused to. prevent homelessness.”

The application will be considered by Somerset Council’s planning committee at a future meeting.