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Cross-party MPs back housing associations’ campaign for ‘ambitious’ Northern targets
A group of 25 cross-party MPs have signed a letter to the government calling for ministers to introduce a new regional housing target for the North of England.
Labour and Conservative MPs from across the region told housing secretary James Brokenshire that a target “created with Northern growth and economic ambition in mind” is required.
The letter was sent by Homes for the North, a consortium of 17 housing associations.
Under the government’s methodology for assessing housing need, a number of councils in the North have seen their housebuilding targets reduced – with authorities in the North West now estimating they need 24% fewer new homes than under previous assessments.
Among the signatories are shadow planning minister Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods and Caroline Flint, chair of the Northern Powerhouse All-Party Parliamentary Group.
Conservative MPs Kevin Hollinrake and John Stevenson have also backed the letter.
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The letter lists proposed policy actions, including the establishment of a “powerful pan-Northern body charged with ensuring that housing and infrastructure are planned together over the long term” and new “renewal deals” combining existing funding streams for housing and infrastructure.
It requests a meeting with Mr Brokenshire to discuss the proposals.
Homes for the North launched its Rebalancing the Economy: Building the Northern Homes We Need charter in February.
Carol Matthews, chair of Homes for the North and author of the letter, said: “The fact that MPs from opposing parties have come together with one voice on Northern housing shows the strength of feeling there is to get to grips with the housing crisis here.
“We believe that we have set out a way forward for a radical increase in the output of affordable housing and we are asking the secretary of state to work with us and Northern MPs to deliver the plans.”
Full letter:
Dear Secretary of State,
I am the Chair of Homes for the North – an alliance of 17 northern housing associations who provide affordable homes to nearly 1 million people. I recently had the pleasure of launching our new Charter, Rebalancing the Economy: Building the Northern Homes We Need in Parliament alongside Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry, Shadow Housing Secretary John Healey, and Kevin Hollinrake MP.
The Charter is the culmination of three years’ work, and sets out four core asks that could contribute to increased prosperity and opportunity in the North:
- A regional housing target that is reflective of northern need – and created with northern growth and economic ambition in mind;
- A requirement that local authorities in the north align their housing supply plans with Local Industrial Strategies;
- The establishment of a powerful pan-northern body charged with ensuring that housing and infrastructure are planned together over the long term;
- A new type of place-based ‘renewal deal’ between government, combined and local authorities, and housing associations that would focus on combining existing investment streams in housing, transport, and local economic development.
The launch was attended by many northern MPs – both Labour and Conservative – and despite their political differences, all welcomed our call for more ambition regarding delivering homes in the north. Many of them have now set out their commitment to this ambition in signing this letter.
We are writing to you today to ask you to meet with myself to discuss the Charter, and how we could work together to deliver a more prosperous north.
I look forward to working with you and MPs from both sides of the house to make this ambitious vision for northern growth a reality.
Yours sincerely,
Carol Matthews
Rt Hon Sir Kevin Barron, MP for Rother Valley
Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods, MP for the City of Durham
Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham
Rosie Cooper, MP for West Lancashire
Nic Dakin, MP for Scunthorpe
Julie Elliott, MP for Sunderland Central
Rt Hon Caroline Flint, MP for Don Valley
Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston
Mike Hill, MP for Hartlepool
Sharon Hodgson, MP for Washington and Sunderland West
Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton
Rt Hon George Howarth, MP for Knowsley
Andrea Jenkyns, MP for Morley and Outwood
Diana Johnson, MP for Kingston upon Hull North
Graham Jones, MP for Hyndburn
Ian Mearns, MP for Gateshead
Mark Menzies, MP for Fylde
Chi Onwurah, MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central
Lucy Powell, MP for Manchester Central
Jonathan Reynolds, MP for Stalybridge and Hyde
Jeff Smith, MP for Withington
John Stevenson, MP for Carlisle
Anna Turley, MP for Redcar
Liz Twist, MP for Blaydon
Martin Vickers, MP for Cleethorpes
