No mention of housing in first Osborne devo deal

The deal, the first of 34 bids from areas around England to be agreed “in principle”, covers transport, skills, business support and inward investment.

Additional powers will also be devolved for the area’s combined authority.

Under the agreed terms Sheffield would have to agree to set up a directly elected mayor. The deal still needs to be formally approved by every council within the Sheffield City Region.

The Sheffield City Region local enterprise partnership said the deal would lead to a £900m “additional cash boost” over the next 30 years to deliver major regeneration, infrastructure and business growth schemes.

There is no indication of devolved budgets or powers over housing. The Greater Manchester devolution earlier this year included devolved control over a £300m housing fund.

Jo Allen, external affairs manager for Yorkshire and the Humber at National Housing Federation, said: “Today’s announcement  on a historic devolution deal for the Sheffield City Region offers real opportunities to tackle the housing crisis at a local level.

“As a healthy, local housing market is one of the key drivers for productivity and public sector efficiency, it is vitally important that both housing and planning powers feature in this deal and others like it.

Housing associations in the Sheffield City Region provide 39,430 homes.

Ms Allen said the associations were “already working closely” with the emerging devolved structures”.