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Sir Edward Lister has said partnerships between local authorities and the private sector have “a hugely important role to play” in boosting the supply of housing.
The chair of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) was speaking a the launch of a report on public/private partnerships for housebuilding at the MIPIM UK conference today.
Sir Edward said he was witnessing a “mood change” from local authorities in regard to housebuilding and called for more leadership from the sector.
The report, launched by law firm Trowers & Hamlins, examined six case studies of local authority partnerships in areas including Cornwall, Brighton, Sheffield and Newham.
“Too many local authorities still do not have a local plan, but in parts of the country we are seeing a mood change,” said Sir Edward.
“There is growing recognition in some local authorities that they need to be leaders – and more are. If we gravitate towards the willing and bypass the others then the number of those willing will increase.
“One form of leadership we are seeing is the different kinds of partnerships between the private and public sector, which have a hugely important role to play in delivering the homes we need. We want to see more of these coming forward around the country, so learning from those that have been delivering successfully is critical.”
Sara Bailey, head of real estate at Trowers & Hamlins, said: “Partnerships between the private sector, housing associations and public sector organisations with the aim of increasing the supply of new homes of all types are a vital part of the effort to tackle the housing crisis.
“But establishing such partnerships can seem daunting and organisations that are considering embarking on the journey may decide instead on a different route.”
The report identified 11 key factors for private/public partnerships, including shared objectives, building mutual trust, risk-sharing and efficiency in the procurement process. The report is available here.