Opinion

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Sunny plans

Monday 11 August 2008

If you have just returned from summer holiday and are filled with the desire to find a nice little holiday house or to at least retire to somewhere sunny, you might be interested in a new initiative from housing corporation Rochdale – despite its name, a real Amsterdam operation.

Rochdale has teamed up with property developer United Momentum to develop a complex of rental properties on the Costa Blanca. The scheme, which has 240 homes, is aimed at 'active seniors' who want to 'enjoy the Spanish climate'.

Rochdale's current tenants will have priority for the Costa houses and will therefore leave a much-needed Dutch rental home empty when they move. Good news for people on the waiting list.

Since news of the development broke, Rochdale's phones have been red-hot with people after a retirement home in the sun so there seems to be little investment risk. Sangria all round, you could say.

But alas, housing minister Ella Vogelaar is not so happy. According to her spokesman, the minister has serious doubts about the way 'Dutch social housing money' is being invested abroad.

Vogelaar is currently forcing social housing providers to invest billions of euros in her own pet urban renewal schemes – not just renovating housing, but boosting jobs, cutting crime and improving the social climate.

This is not only saving the government cash, but is considered to be an appropriate use of social housing money. Unlike building retirement homes in Spain