Developing Complex Sites in Towns and Cities

This Development Partnership Forum provided an update on housing policy and Homes England Strategic Partnerships. It demonstrated how councils can make best use of their land, how complex sites could be developed and the role SME house builders can play.

The Housing White Paper continues to be the basis for the Government’s housing policy. Supply is increasing; 222,000 homes completed 2017/18 (highest since 2008) and is becoming more diverse (BTR, community-led, custom and self-build).

Homes England’s expanded role will be more proactive and the Government is ambitious for a new generation of social housing. Strategic Partnerships with more realistic grant rates, longer term programmes and a more flexible operation should provide certainty for housing associations to invest in development.

Complex sites can be developed using partnerships and teams of consultants and contractors with the necessary specialist expertise. Different and more efficient ways of working with flexible processes are required, to develop small sites and for SME house builders to operate.

Climate change adaptation will have to be built into the design of new housing development yet less than half of local authorities have a plan to manage potential flood risk.

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