Regional Housing Policy and Strategy:

1

• Regional Housing Policy and Strategy
• An Overview
• Phil Toal
• Housing Manager

2

• A coherent National Focus?
• Government policy
• - Planning Policy Statement 3 Housing
• Housing Green Paper Homes for the Future
• Institutional /organisation arrangements
• Comprehensive spending review 2007

3

• Economic movements
• Interest rates and borrowing
• Price/Value dominated headlines affordability
  and exclusion
• Dynamic markets changes are rapid defining and
  understanding
• US and international global effects
• demographic change and economy financial sector,
  distribution pattern of income stronger?

4

• A complex national and sub national framework?
• PSA Framework Balance markets and provide
  decent homes
• Barker Reviews - Housing supply and Land Use
• Hills Review of future of social housing
• Cave review of regulation
• New Homes Agency
• NHPAU advice on affordability
• CLG research and guidance
• Welfare reform green paper

5
Complex National Framework

• Pan regional Northern way Quality of place
• Regional, Sub-regional, local strategic and
  delivery roles
• Functioning markets not administrative
  boundaries- City regions
• Inspection and accountability- comprehensive area
  assessments
• Multi and local Area Agreements
• Tenant and community empowerment

6
Sub National Review

• Economic Development and Regeneration
• Cross cutting review prior to CSR 07
• Economic and housing market interrelations
• Key implications
• Strengthening Local Authorities and align local
  funding streams
• Sub regions on a statutory basis? MAAs
• Cross boundary development frameworks encouraged

7
Sub National Review (cont.)

• Reducing regional clutter
• Single Regional Strategy CLG and DBERR
• Regional Assemblies cease in current form
• RDAs regional planning body , regional strategy
  lead - new outcome framework
• LAs to agree strategy with RDA and scrutinise
• Regional Funding Allocations 2nd round
  expanded
• Further consultation planned
• New Regional ministers already appointed
• Regional select committees
• Regional Housing Boards and housings voice?

8
Housing Green Paper July 2007

• Increasing the number and rate of house building
  - 3m by 2020
• Improving the planning system
• Making public sector land available for house
  building
• Recycling existing land and buildings
• Providing appropriate infrastructure
• Improving the design and quality of new homes
• Greening and reducing the environmental impact of
  new homes
• Providing more social housing and help for first
  time buyers
• Improving the way the mortgage market works
• Improving skills and capacity in the building
  industry

9
Housing green paper some thoughts

• more housing welcomed -contribution to the
  national 3 million homes by 2020 ? Quality more
  than a simple increase in supply.
• growth points and eco-towns- is supported
  current RSS/RHS must not be compromised.
• use more public sector land in the best
  locations
• dealing with low demand is supported- and is
  currently recognised in both RSS and RHS- helps
  with affordability.
• setting of affordable rural housing targets by
  housing market areas.
• Planning and housing delivery grant -in some
  areas delivery targets should not be exceeded.

10
Green paper ( cont.)

• Delivering affordable housing- supports the
  findings of recent regional studies
• reuse of previously developed land and buildings
  is supported -consistent with RSS and RHS.
• Better design and greener homes supports
  sustainable development- but energy use in the
  existing stock?
• Mortgage markets- more than just government.
• Skills and capacity of the construction sector
  critical
• Mini-review of RSS - reviewing housing provision
  will have implications for other aspects

11

• An emerging Single Integrated Regional Strategy?
• Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) new housing
  provision, condition and location focus
• Regional Housing Strategy stock renewal,
  quality and community needs
• Regional Economic Strategy type, quality and
  aspiration
• Sustainability and Integrated Regional Framework
• New regional level architecture

12

• Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) 2004 -21
• More than numbers location and focus
• Total dwelling construction
• Improving the housing stock
• Strategic Housing Market Assessments
• Dwelling provision net additions plans
• LDF requirements and conformity
• Mini review contribution to 240,000 per year by
  2016

13
Regional Housing Strategy 2007

1. To rejuvenate the housing stock
2. To ensure the supply, type and mix of new housing
   meets social and economic needs and provides
   choice
3. To secure the improvement and maintenance of
   existing housing
4. To promote good management and targeted housing
   investment to address specific community and
   social needs .

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Regional Housing Strategy 2007

• Cross cutting issues
• Sustainable development and climate change
• Cost effectiveness
• Design quality
• Innovation
• Community cohesion and respect

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• Addressing market exclusion
• Quality of place
• Urban and rural complex interaction
• Keeping pace with economic growth
• Getting the mix right
• Community Land trusts
• Intermediate housing products
• Choice based lettings

18
Improving existing homes

• Decent homes and beyond
• Loans and grants in the private sector
• Energy use and insulation
• Respect and tackling antisocial behaviour

19
Supported housing and community needs

• Supporting people
• Accessible Homes Grants/ adaptations
• Housing for an ageing society
• Extra care provision
• Homelessness
• Ex offenders
• People with particular problems
• BME requirements
• Gypsies and Travellers

20
Spatial levels of working

• Sub regional working- four sub regional
  strategies city regions ?
• Functional housing market understanding?
• Prioritisation through partnership
• Funding streams expect more realignment more
  leverage and more efficiencies from investments?

21

• North East region
• Affordability as part of market exclusion

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North East Quarterly Sales and Ave House Prices
1996-2006
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Type 2005
Age 2005
25
2002
26
2006
27

2006
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Tackling market exclusion

• Not all about new supply only 15 of sales
• Housing as a personal investment- borrowing on
  value 264Bn
• Buyer subsidy effects
• Buy to let and buy to leave now over 11 of
  new mortgages
• Empty properties and second homes
• Land supply and house prices relationship
• Building society lending policies
• Housing Benefit rules and regulations Local
  Housing Allowances?

29
Some final thoughts

• Shifting regional picture - fundamentals
• Local Government reform
• Cross boundary working
• Strategy and delivery
• So much more than just numbers but supply focus
  increased
• CSR 07 and further consultation
• Costumers and consumers, citizens and residents

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