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Vast majority of councils feel they need more affordable housing, survey shows
Nearly all councils feel they have a "severe or moderate need" for more affordable housing in their area, a study has found.
The survey, carried out by the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) and published today by the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE), revealed that 63% described local need as severe, with another 35% identifying a moderate need for new affordable homes.
Just three of the 141 authorities which responded said the need was not substantial.
APSE and the TCPA set out 10 recommendations for boosting social and affordable housing delivery, including increased investment in supply and extra flexibility over Right to Buy receipts.
And they called on ministers to restrict permitted development rights, which allow schemes to be delivered without affordable housing.
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Researchers also found that 70% of councils felt homelessness has increased in their area over the past 12 months.
Kate Henderson, chief executive of the TCPA, said: “We are not providing anywhere near enough genuinely affordable homes and homelessness is rising.
“Our latest research highlights that councils want to provide more affordable housing for their local communities, but their ability to do so is being undermined by planning deregulation.”
Paul O’Brien, chief executive of APSE, said: “The government must be bold and ambitious in challenging the shortfall of housing for those in the most need in society.
“As part of this, it must help councils return to their historic role as a provider of homes – recognising that evidence clearly suggests that we cannot rely on the private sector alone to meet the shortfall of housing supply.”
The survey was carried out online in February by local authorities across the UK.
Nearly half (48%) of respondents were Conservative-led councils, while 23% were Labour.
