A collection of essays (published by an official advisory body) called for new models for housebuilding – for much less reliance on build-to-sell, and for renting to become the norm once again.
Source: Who Should Build Our Homes? Six experts challenge the status quo, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
Links: Report | CABE press release
Date: 2009-Dec
The Northern Ireland Executive began consultation on proposed legislation designed to cut the fuel bills of social housing tenants (by giving new powers to social housing providers to bulk-purchase energy), offer greater choice to homeless households, improve regulation of the private rented sector, and provide new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour.
Source: The Housing Bill (Northern Ireland): A Consultation Document, Northern Ireland Executive
Links: Consultation document | NIE press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-Dec
An independent commission published a report (for consultation) analyzing the issues and challenges facing the Northern Ireland housing system. The housing system had played a key role in shaping communities and improving lives during a very difficult time in Northern Ireland's history: but it was now in need of radical reform. There was a need for a long-term strategy for housing, a greater role for tenants, changes to the system of oversight for housing, and new forms of investment.
Source: The Future for Housing in Northern Ireland: A key issues paper from the Independent Commission, Commission on the Future for Housing in Northern Ireland
Links: Report | Commission press release | CIH press release | New Start report
Date: 2009-Nov
The Welsh Assembly government announced proposals designed to give the National Assembly powers to legislate on housing for the first time.
Source: The National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Housing and Local Government) Order 2010, Draft Statutory Instrument, Welsh Assembly Government, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Draft Order | Explanatory notes | BBC report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-Nov
A report said that when schools and housing providers worked together closely they could achieve better educational performance, improve behaviour, and boost the reputation of neighbourhoods.
Source: John Thornhill and Joanne Kent-Smith, Housing, Schools and Communities, Chartered Institute of Housing (024 7685 1700)
Links: Report | CIH press release | NASUWT press release
Date: 2009-Nov
A group of linked reports examined the achievements of the housing market renewal pathfinders (a programme to renew the housing stock in areas of low housing demand). There was a greater sense of confidence among the pathfinders than previously – about their own strategies, the likelihood of continued government support, and the value in sharing good practice and developing ideas together at senior levels in the teams. At the strategic level, there had been a perceptible move from a focus on the consequences of long-term economic decline on the housing stock to stronger links being forged with the drivers of economic growth at the local and sub-regional levels.
Source: Philip Leather, Ed Ferrari and Ian Cole, National Evaluation of Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders 2005-2007, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only) | Key Messages and Evidence on the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Programme 2003-2009, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236) | David Robinson and Sioned Pearce, Housing Market Renewal and Community Cohesion, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only) | ECOTEC, Policy Alignment and Partnership Working in Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders, Department for Communities and Local Government (web only) | ECOTEC and Nevin Leather Associates, Wider Performance Measures for the Housing Market Renewal Programme, Department for Communities and Local Government (web only) | Peter Tyler, Angela Brennan, Colin Warnock and Steve Stevens, Value for Money Issues and the Evaluation of the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Programme, Department for Communities and Local Government (web only) | Ian Cole and Sioned Pearce, Housing Market Renewal and Private Sector Developers, Department for Communities and Local Government (web only)
Links: Report (Leather) | Report (Key messages) | Report (Robinson) | Report (ECOTEC) | Report (ECOTEC/Leather) | Report (Tyler) | Report (Cole) | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-Oct
A think-tank report said that the housebuilding industry was a classic case of market failure: as prices had soared, production had failed to keep up – but when prices had begun to fall, output had plummeted. It called for a new mixed economy in housebuilding in order to increase supply, reduce volatility, and provide real choices to individuals. The public sector as a whole needed to rediscover the skills and confidence to lead the market.
Source: Toby Lloyd, Don't Bet the House on It: Not turning back to housing boom and bust, Compass (020 7463 0633)
Links: Report | TUC press release
Date: 2009-Aug
A report examined public attitudes in England to housing issues. Almost one-third (32 per cent) of respondents disagreed that the way social housing was allocated was fair. Almost one-half (48 per cent) believed that more low-income working households should be allocated social housing, rather than always allocating to the most vulnerable. Nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) thought that people with dependent children needed more housing stability, and a majority (57 per cent) agreed that social housing tenancies should be passed on to adult children living with their parents. A linked report summarized the findings from focus groups.
Source: Stephen Finlay and Richard Davis, Attitudes to Housing: Findings from Ipsos MORI Public Affairs Monitor Omnibus Survey (England), Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only) | Kirstin McClarty, Nick Allen, Sara Butler and Sarah Cheesbrough, Attitudes to Housing: Findings from focus groups, Department for Communities and Local Government
Links: Report | Focus groups report
Date: 2009-Jul
A think-tank report said that tenants living on isolated, badly connected estates suffered a social 'apartheid', leaving them with reduced chances of employment, and increased chances of poor health. It called for a fundamental shift in thinking about housing, by mixing public and private provision, using holistic housing management, replacing housing benefit with a housing cost credit, and balancing the 'right to buy' with a 'right to sell'.
Source: James Gregory, In the Mix: Narrowing the gap between public and private housing, Fabian Society (020 7227 4900)
Links: Summary
Date: 2009-Jul
A book of specially commissioned essays examined key issues in contemporary debates about housing and housing policy.
Source: Peter Malpass and Rob Rowlands (eds.), Housing, Markets and Policy, Routledge (01264 343071)
Links: Summary
Date: 2009-Jul
The government published a plan for Britain's future, describing it as 'a radical vision for a fairer, stronger and more prosperous society'. Additional investment worth £1.5 billion over two years would deliver 20,000 new affordable homes, creating 45,000 jobs in the construction and related sectors. There would be changes to the rules for allocating social housing, giving local councils the power to give greater priority to local people and those who had spent a long time on a waiting list. Tenants and prospective tenants would be given more choice over the properties available.
Source: Building Britain's Future, Cm 7654, Prime Minister's Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Summary | Hansard | Cabinet Office press release | DCLG press release | HCA press release | NHF press release | CIH press release | PwC press release | London Councils press release | CBI press release | Conservative Party press release | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2) | Local Government Chronicle report | BBC report | Inside Housing report | New Start report
Date: 2009-Jun
A report (by an official advisory body) said that lack of housing affordability was a long-term issue, and had far-reaching consequences for society – including a widening wealth gap, poorer health, recruitment problems, and a housing market that was prone to 'boom and bust'.
Source: Affordability: More Than Just a Housing Problem, National Housing and Planning Advice Unit (023 9295 8152)
Links: Report | NHPAU press release | Guardian report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-May
An article examined the thinking of the opposition Conservative Party in relation to four policy areas: urban and regional policy; housing policy; labour market and welfare policy; and the third sector. There was a 'remarkable degree of continuity' over the period 1979-1997, reflecting the shift in politics away from traditional left-right divisions and towards a neo-liberal orthodoxy.
Source: Richard Crisp, Rob Macmillan, David Robinson and Peter Wells, 'Continuity or change: what a future Conservative government might mean for regional, housing and welfare policies', People, Place & Policy, Volume 3 Issue 1
Links: Article
Date: 2009-May
An audit report said that Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders, designed to revive the housing market in the North and Midlands, were being hit hard by the recession and might struggle to recover.
Source: Housing Market Renewal: Programme Review 2008/09, Audit Commission (0800 502030)
Links: Report | Audit Commission press release | HCA press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-May
The opposition Conservative Party published proposals for housing reform, designed to promote social opportunity and 'neighbourhood pride'. Social housing tenants with a record of five years' good tenant behaviour would be offered a 10 per cent equity share in their property. There would be a comprehensive national mobility scheme that would allow 'good' tenants to move to other social sector properties. The regional planning infrastructure would be scrapped, enabling local councils to revise their plans to protect green belt land and prevent the imposition of eco-towns.
Source: Strong Foundations: Building homes and communities, Conservative Party (020 7222 9000)
Links: Plan | Conservative Party press release | CIH press release | NHF press release | CPRE press release | NAEA press release | LGA briefing | BBC report | New Start report | Guardian report | FT report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-Apr
The Scottish Government began consultation on proposals to end the 'Right to Buy' for new-build social housing.
Source: Draft Housing (Scotland) Bill: A Consultation, Scottish Government (0131 556 8400)
Links: Consultation document | SG press release | CIH press release
Date: 2009-Apr
The government announced (in the 2009 Budget) funding of £400 million to support private sector house-building, by reducing up-front costs and 'levering' private finance. An additional £100 million funding would be made available for local authorities to deliver energy-efficient social homes. There would be an extension of the stamp duty 'holiday' for all houses costing up to £175,000 until the end of 2009.
Source: Budget 2009: Building Britain's future, HC 407, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Hansard | HMT press release | DCLG press release | HCA press release | NHF press release | RTPI press release | CRC press release | BPF press release | CML press release | NAEA press release | BSA press release | CIH press release | NLGN press release | PWC press release | New Start report | Guardian report | Telegraph report | Inside Housing report (1) | Inside Housing report (2)
Date: 2009-Apr
A report examined how equality, diversity, good relations, and community cohesion affected the housing sector. It showed how discrimination could occur in a housing context, and gave examples of innovative practice to tackle it.
Source: Equality, Diversity and Good Relations in Housing, Chartered Institute of Housing (024 7685 1700)
Links: Summary
Date: 2009-Apr
A report examined how different estate- and area-based transformation programmes were trying to develop more mixed communities, under the Mixed Communities Initiative. There was some confusion among practitioners about what was meant by a 'mixed communities approach', and many applied the term restrictively to creating more mixed-tenure areas. The report identified a range of barriers and tensions that might impede the development of more mixed communities – but also cases where mixed communities had been (or were in the process of being) developed.
Source: Geoff Fordham and Ian Cole, Delivering Mixed Communities: Learning the lessons from existing programmes, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Date: 2009-Mar
A report set out the baseline position for the Mixed Communities Initiative – designed to tackle area disadvantage by bringing together housing and neighbourhood renewal strategies to reduce concentrations of deprivation, stimulate economic development, and improve public services.
Source: Evaluation of the Mixed Communities Initiative Demonstration Projects: Initial Report – Baseline and early process issues, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Date: 2009-Mar
A report by a committee of MPs said that the overall performance of the Department for Communities and Local Government in 2008 against its public service agreements left it 'still some way short of full effectiveness'.
Source: Communities and Local Government's Departmental Annual Report 2008, Second Report (Session 2008-09), HC 238, House of Commons Communities and Local Government Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Conservative Party press release | BBC report | Personnel Today report
Date: 2009-Mar
A new book examined the major issues in contemporary debates about housing and housing policy.
Source: Peter Malpass and Rob Rowlands (eds.), Housing, Markets and Policy, Routledge (01264 343071)
Links: Summary
Date: 2009-Feb
A report by a committee of MPs examined the effect that the global financial crisis was having on the government's housing policies. It said that the government should stick to its ambitious house-building targets despite the recession.
Source: Housing and the Credit Crunch, Third Report (Session 2008-09), HC 101, House of Commons Business and Enterprise Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Crisis press release | CPRE press release | BBC report | Guardian report | New Start report
Date: 2009-Feb
The Welsh Assembly Government began consultation on a new housing strategy. The key aims of the strategy were to: improve people's quality of life and opportunities for the future; work across all sectors, public and private, government and non-government, to increase the number of homes available; enable a wider range of housing options that met people's needs as their circumstances changed; and make homes more energy efficient and reduce carbon emissions.
Source: Sustainable Homes: A national housing strategy for Wales, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Consultation document | WAG press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-Jan
A report examined the scale and scope of regulation in the housing market, and the extent to which it worked effectively for consumers. It also considered the scope for simplifying and strengthening redress provisions, and improving consumer awareness. It said that there were gaps and inconsistencies in the structure and basis of regulation and redress schemes, and that there was scope for reform, extension, and rationalization.
Source: Colin Jones, Government Review of Regulation and Redress in the UK Housing Market, Department for Communities and Local Government, and Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (web publication only)
Links: Report | BPF press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2009-Jan
