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South West landlords call for 50% of public land to be set aside for affordable homes
A coalition of housing associations based in the South West has called on the government to revise public land disposal strategies to ensure 50% is used for affordable housing.
South West landlords call for 50% of public land to be set aside for affordable homes #UKhousingA coalition of housing associations based in the South West has called on the government to revise public land disposal strategies to ensure 50% is used for affordable housing #UKhousingHomes for the South West, a group of 12 housing associations, has made a number of asks of the government it believes will help kick-start growth across the region.
This is because of the chronic shortage of housing and lack of connectivity is holding the region back.
The group, whose members together own more than 250,000 homes and house half a million people, explained that the investment the region needs could be kick-started if the government were to provide a clear five to 10-year pipeline of capital spending projects in the South West.
This would give certainty to companies and contractors across the built environment, allowing them to invest in technology and the training of a new generation of skilled workers to build the homes the region needs.
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The call is made in Homes for the South West’s manifesto, titled Building the Affordable Homes the South West Needs. The manifesto was informed by a comprehensive study from the University of the West of England and outlines the unique challenges faced by the region.
These challenges include a 200,000-home shortage, a 400% rise in house prices over the past 25 years – compared to an 83% increase in median earnings – and a significant percentage of second homes exacerbating local affordability issues.
Other key recommendations from the manifesto include speeding up the building of new homes by introducing a new 13-week system of presumed consent for planning applications that comply with local plans.
At the same time, grant funding from the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) should be made permanently available to replace poor-quality homes and Section 106 agreement should be tightened to ensure developers contribute a genuinely fair share to affordable housing.
In a bid to address regional inequalities, the coalition is also calling for AHP reform to prioritise regions, such as the South West, “that have experienced historic levels of underinvestment”.
Louise Swain, chair of Homes for the South West, said: “The housing crisis in the South West is fast approaching breaking point. Too few homes are being built and we are now one of the least affordable regions in England, behind only London, the East of England and the South East.
“Our manifesto calls for an urgent injection of investment and confidence in our region. It also sets out a range of practical steps that could be taken to drive the delivery of new homes so urgently needed by people in the South West.
“This is not just a call for change, but also a commitment from Homes for the South West members to work collaboratively with the government and local communities to address the challenges facing our region.”
In response, the government reiterated its expectation that local authorities need to make sure an up-to-date local plan in place as this is key to planning for and meeting housing requirements, in ways that make good use of land and result in well-designed and attractive places to live.
A spokesperson added: “We have laid out an ambitious long-term plan for housing and we are on track to deliver one million homes this parliament.
“The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act will provide councils with the power to double council tax on second homes, which the owner has to pay.”
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