NHF calls for more social housing land ahead of Spring Statement

“The government’s recent announcements to overhaul the planning framework and put more money into housing for social rent are welcome. But alone they won’t lead to a radical change in the housing market or in getting people off the streets.

“Ultimately, to build more affordable homes, housing associations need more land to build on. Rather than continuing to sell public land to the highest bidder, the government should use the Spring Statement to make it available for social housing.”

Other housing sector bodies told Inside Housing they were not expecting any major announcements today.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) called for the chancellor to lay out a new vision for housing policy following several announcements in recent months.

Lewis Johnston, parliamentary affairs manager at RICS, said: “What’s been missing [from housing policy] is a comprehensive, honest assessment of what the UK’s housing policy should ultimately be aiming for.

“Do we want to prioritise homeownership? If so, how can we boost affordability, given that numerous studies have shown increasing supply is only part of the answer? And if we can’t return to the levels of homeownership that prevailed 20 years ago, do we accept that and focus on delivering new models of housing to provide everyone with a good-quality, affordable home?

“Government can only develop a proper housing strategy through honest, hard-headed engagement with these key questions, and a clear hierarchy of priorities. It should be bold and ambitious, while acknowledging that it cannot be all things to all people: we can’t have rocketing housing wealth while at the same time improving affordability. We need to choose.”

Today will mark the first ‘Spring Statement’ from the chancellor, with budgets – where spending decisions for the following year are set out – now delivered in the autumn.