The importance of housing

1
The importance of housing for building
sustainable communities Evidence from European
research and practice and the potential of the
EUs sustainable communities strategy Conferen
ce of the European Housing Forum, Dublin, 18th of
April 2007
2
Context

• Work undertaken by ECOTEC/ECORYS as part of the
  UK Presidency (2005) EU Informal on Sustainable
  Communities
• Additional work reviewing the activities of the
  EIB
• Housing market restructuring as a key dimension
  of the ECORYS Research Programme

3
Objectives of the Ministerial Informal

• Explore the value of a Sustainable Communities
  approach
• Promote learning between cities and regions
  undergoing significant demographic and economic
  change
• Commentary on potential constraints to achieving
  sustainable communities (focus on skills and
  finance)

4
Policy context

• EU focus on cities as key drivers for change
• Policy focus has shifted over time with
  experience gained through variety of programmes
  (UPP, URBAN, mainstream ERDF)
• Focus on sharing and transferring knowledge
• Desire to develop common understanding and
  policy (e.g. Urban Acquis)
• Links to achieving core EU policy objectives,
  including Lisbon agenda

5
Sustainable Communities in the UK

• Seen as a UK Anglo-Saxon concept
• Recognition that accommodating household growth
  requires holistic response, not just additional
  housing
• Equally tackling decline in some cities also
  requires a holistic response
• Originally pitched as a north-south debate but
  reality is more complex
• Policy makers keen to avoid mistakes of
  isolated housing policies of the past

6
The Chain Approach

• A Framework for Sustainable Community Policies

7
Key challenges and housing responses

• Growth related problems
• Affordability issues suburban sprawl
  congestion environment
• Response boosting supply growth management
  planning design intensification of land-use
  integral solutions
• Stagnation and decline
• Economic collapse de-population low housing
  demand
• Response housing market renewal
• Social Exclusion
• Unemployment ghetto forming ethnic tension
  crime insecurity
• Response regeneration of deprived areas raising
  housing quality diversifying tenures to
  counteract selective migration
• Population change demands an immediate and
  effective housing policy response

8
EU Country Review

• Review shows that most EU countries have to deal
  with these types of issues and have policy
  responses to do so
• Policy focus varies between countries but in most
  cases issues and solutions are complex and
  require a range of responses
• Concept of sustainable communities is adopted in
  some EU countries, under other badges
• Concept of sustainable communities could be
  applied (or applied more so) in some EU countries
  to address issues and opportunities more
  effectively
• Patterns emerge for different clusters of EU
  countries

9
European Case Studies

• Kronsberg, Hannover Germany
• New greenfield community with 6000 homes
• Extremely high environmental standards
• Compact design, public transport, social housing
• The Northern Way, England
• Based on a future-oriented, evidence informed,
  cross-regional vision
• Strategic linkages between thematic and spatial
  priorities
• Housing market renewal integrated with economic
  development
• Valencia, Spain
• Economic growth strategy based around culture,
  technology and communications
• Accommodation of population growth
• Monitoring absorption of large influx of
  international migrants

10
Skills

• The Egan Review (UK, 2004) highlights the
  importance of
• Leadership
• Multi-disciplinary and collaborative working
• Combined programme management
• Skills gaps are being tackled in some other EU
  countries (e.g. Austria, The Netherlands)
• Good practice sharing across Europe under ERDF
  and ESF programmes - but housing is often
  excluded
• No formal agreement on core technical skills
  needed to deliver Sustainable Communities
• Lack of systematic research into demand and
  supply of skills

11
Finance

• Players on both supply and demand sides vary
  across Europe
• Demand issues investment needs sometimes
  inadequately translated into concrete demand
• Supply issues capital markets for urban finance
  not transparent, efficient or well developed
• Key role for project promoters (public private)
  in translating needs into demand and matching
  this with available finance
• EIBs role in urban finance mandated 1997 and
  stressed at the Bristol Informal. Contribution to
  SC agenda includes
• Corporate operation plan prioritises sustainable
  development giving weight to socio-economic and
  environmental effects
• Only integrated plans supported long term
  orientation flagship projects
• Loans for urban renewal 1.95 bln/year 2000-2006
  (5 of total)
• JESSICA initiative Joint European Support for
  Sustainable Investment in City Areas

12
The potential of sustainable communities

• Housing is integral to Sustainable Communities
  agenda
• Exclusion of policy fields (housing) is
  inconsistent with holistic approach
• SC agenda often not well understood
• Interface with Lisbon and cohesion agendas needs
  enunciation
• SC agenda needs to be sold to Europe
• Its potential lies in its multidimensionality and
  all inclusiveness, cutting across sectors and
  recognising the importance of skills, finance and
  leadership
• SC agenda has the power to motivate players to
  lift their games, to work together and rise to
  the challenge of creating great places

13
ECORYS Research Programme

• Two year self funded research programme
• Aim to produce cutting edge and policy
  relevant research with academic robustness
• Also looking to disseminate findings through
  publication and events
• Number of projects funded, one covers housing
  market restructuring in Europe
• Output will include policy commentary for EU 27
  plus 4 case studies
• Opportunity to engage with European Housing Forum
  and its partners