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Covering The Housing Forum’s latest report “Future-proofing housing supply”, enabling tenure mix to meet local needs and latest developments in Build to Rent schemes.

 

Housing delivery needs to be planned over a longer time frame of 10-20 years as an infrastructure project with cross-party consensus sustained across several political cycles and seen as a crucial aspect of the economy. Government leadership is crucial.

Policy certainty is essential for long-term business planning and frequent policy changes, such as Right to Buy and rent cuts, affect income and undermine viability. Plans for some councils to set up local housing companies to add to the delivery of new homes are on hold due to potential financial risk.

Planning law and policy have important roles to play in enabling the tenure mix to meet local needs and increasing supply by enabling the use of smaller sites and smaller developers. Build to Rent is recognised in GLA planning policy.

Build to Rent is maturing with larger schemes, regional coverage and growing interest from institutional investors. With long-term ownership and professional management, it can make an important contribution to place making and community.

Local authorities are once again developing but need the right expertise and skills and a commercial approach to deliver mixed tenure schemes. Development takes a long time and needs local political commitment.

Featured image: Packington Estate, Islington
Date:
Contributors:

Stephen Teagle, Chief Executive, Partnerships and Regeneration, Galliford Try

Deputy-Chair, The Housing Forum

Ian Fletcher, Director

BPF

Jennifer Peters, Strategic Planning Manager

Greater London Authority

Richard Harwood, OBE, Q.C.

Essex Chambers

John Murray, Director

Airey Miller

Caroline Pillay, Director

Airey Miller

Tristan Samuels, Head of Major Projects, Growth, Planning and Housing

London Borough of Westminster

Read the full report for practical insights and analysis.

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Read the full report for practical insights and analysis.