Archives for February 2007
Home building in England on the rise
Three per cent more home building projects were started in England during 2006, compared to the previous year, with the number of new buildings completed up half a per cent.
These are the key statistics from the annual housing summary published by Communities and Local Government. According to the figures, 183,143 homes were begun in 2006, compared to 177,129 in 2005 and just 144,702 in 2000.
Last year, 160,234 new homes were finished, which compares to 159,454 in the previous 12 months. Seven years ago, 135,359 homes were finished in the space of a year.
Anomalous statistics for the final quarter of 2006 reveal that the number of home building project rose by 11 per cent to 47,570, while the number of completions fell by 11 per cent to 41,750.
Communities and Local Government explains the latter slump can be attributed to unusually high completion figures during the corresponding quarter of 2005.
The south continued its strong home building record in recent years, with an additional 12 per cent more homes started in the south-east during 2006. The East Midlands also enjoyed a good year.
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London’s housing future in the spotlight
London Councils has outlined its vision for future housing provisions in the capital, responding to the housing strategy laid out by mayor Ken Livingstone.
The response emphasises the importance of the role played by London’s individual boroughs, with their hands-on experience of local issues and priorities.
Any long-term statutory housing strategy should build on the work done by the city’s communities, London Councils concludes, by focusing on regional issues and not micro-managing boroughs.
And investment in new London housing should rise from the current £1.7 billion over two years to £1.3 billion each year by 2009.
“While we agree with the development of a London-wide strategy, we must stress that boroughs should remain free to do what they do best, provide excellent housing services for their communities,” said councillor Jamie Carswell, executive member for housing at London Councils.
“The strategy should remain a strategy and not seek to interfere with the day to day work of the boroughs, which must remain able to respond flexibly and innovatively to the needs of their communities.”
London Councils was formerly known as the Association of London Government.
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SDLP promises “housing crisis” solution
The upcoming Assembly election in Northern Ireland will be key to solving the region’s “housing crisis”, according to Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) deputy leader Dr Alistair McDonnell.
Property values in Northern Ireland have rocketed by 41 per cent in the past year, pricing thousands of households out of the market.
More than 27,000 vulnerable people are now on the waiting list for social housing.
Setting out his party’s policies to remedy the lack of affordable housing in a meeting with house-hunters in his south Belfast constituency, Mr McDonnell lambasted the lackadaisical approach adopted by the government.
“We have a housing crisis in the north of Ireland,” said the SDLP deputy leader. “People should make no mistake about that.
“The head-in-the-sand approach of government isn’t good enough and is letting down the hardest working and most vulnerable people in our society.
“The SDLP has a clear plan to address both affordability and the needs of the most vulnerable,” he continued.
Mr McDonnell claimed that his party was the only one in the Assembly to “take this issue seriously”, with 30 proposals designed to remedy current affordability concerns.
SDLP plans include tighter regulation of estate agents and more efficient use of government land.
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Commission delivers damning verdicts on local councils
The Audit Commission has highlighted some areas in which council landlord services are performing badly, pointing out where there is room for improvement.
Tenants residing in Rutland council-managed properties are receiving a “poor service” from their landlords, according to the report, particularly with regard to the speed of repairs and vacant property turnaround times.
“Significant improvements are needed,” head of housing for the commission’s central region Martin Palmer said. “A comprehensive improvement plan has been agreed, targets have been set and some progress has been made.”
Among the goals set for the region is improved dissemination of information to tenants, as well as a stricter adherence to the Commission for Racial Equality’s code of practice when letting.
Gloucester Housing Association also came under fire, with the commission’s criticisms including disproportionate costs for services supplied, delayed repair work and slow progress on equality.
“The service currently provided by the association is unsatisfactory in a number of areas,” commission inspector for the south-west Keith Colgan said.
He did recognise the efforts of staff in working to improve the association’s performance and the report highlighted better risk management strategies and a focus on value for money as key goals for the future.
A public organisation, the Audit Commission monitors the way in which public funds are utilised in offering good quality services to the community.
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Housing Corporation cements relationship with Audit Commission
The Housing Corporation has agreed a memorandum of understanding with the Audit Commission, in order to further strengthen the relationship between both organisations.
Prompted by a review of housing regulation and compliance by Sir Les Elton, the memorandum is the third such agreement signed by both parties since April 2003. The latest incarnation sets out their respective management roles and responsibilities.
The key principles and priorities which define their relationship and form the basis of their forthcoming programme are also reinforced in the memorandum.
“The corporation and the commission share commitment to driving performance and increased efficiency within the housing association sector,” commented Claire Miller, director of regulation at the Housing Corporation.
“We want to ensure that we get the very best from our resources through better targeting our work and by working in partnership,” she added.
Roy Irwin, chief inspector of housing at the Audit Commission, added: “This commitment is further cemented by the publication of the annual work plan setting out how we will meet our strategic objectives.”
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Carbon Challenge to champion affordable housing
Details were unveiled today of a new international challenge for house builders to help create zero-carbon and low-carbon communities.
Ruth Kelly, communities secretary, launched the scheme, which will be run by English Partnerships. Developers will be called upon to help create these flagship communities though a number of methods.
They will be expected to raise standards of design, construction, energy and water use with the aim of using such techniques as a benchmark for future projects.
Ruth Kelly said: “We must cut carbon emissions to tackle climate change – and housing has a major role to play.
“While there are lots of carbon saving measures which can be used in individual homes, designing a whole community gives developers scope to make use of schemes like district heating and combined heat and power plants,” she added.
The first two sites scheduled to be built under the new guidelines are at Hanham Hall just outside Bristol, and Glebe Road in Peterborough.
The scheme will also benefit due to the chancellor’s recent announcement that in future most new zero carbon homes will be exempt from stamp duty.
It was recently announced by the government that all homes will have to be carbon-zero by the year 2016.
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NLGN passes stern housing verdict
The New Local Government Network (NLGN) has asserted that housing policy is informed by the way in which local authorities interact with community groups, construction firms and residents.
Emphasising the need for an asset-based framework for solving housing issues, the think-tank advocates more proactive cooperation and innovative policies in its latest e-pamphlet.
Firstly, social housing management needs improving, it asserts. NLGN statistics indicate that more than 68 per cent of large social sites are managed by companies without the requisite experience or expertise.
Council land and existing structures need to be used more effectively, by “recycling and reusing” former industrial land. And local authorities are in a unique position to ascertain the needs of residents and to commission developers to meet these requirements, the pamphlet argues.
“Efficient use of available land, whether for new development or regeneration will be critical to addressing current and future housing needs,” wrote Phyllis Starkey MP, chair of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee in the publication’s foreword.
“Renovation and infill, for example, will play a key role in boosting the housing capacity of urban areas. Sustainability must be the guiding principle behind all our efforts and that means making best use of what we already have.
“Local government must take a leading role if we are to generate solutions that blend new and old buildings to create sustainable mixed communities in which people want to live,” he concluded.
The pamphlet also picks holes in the Sustainable Communities Plan, observing that lower income families are being priced out of the housing market and that there is insufficient integration of new houses into existing communities.
Schemes to encourage low income groups to purchase property have also proved unsuccessful, the brochure suggests.
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Royal London borough “performing strongly”
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has been praised in an independent report by the Audit Commission for its community leadership, value for money and recycling.
Steps are also being taken in the borough to address inequalities, promote a higher quality of life and reduce the fear and threat of crime – tackling the area’s priorities with what the watchdog has identified “excellent” leadership.
In its corporate assessment of the single-tier London borough, the Audit Commission also noted that services for children were being notably improved, along with waste management and recycling provisions.
“The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is performing strongly,” said Jacqueline Barry-Purssell, senior management at the Audit Commission. “Political and managerial leadership is excellent and the council consults widely with its community to identify needs.
“It is achieving its priorities and this is impacting positively on the quality of people’s lives.”
The council needs to consider planning, developing and strengthening its workforce in order to meet future needs and also needs to introduce more consistent performance development reviews and systematic monitoring, the commission concludes.
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Lancashire authority teams up with Housing Corporation
Working with the Housing Corporation, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has committed to a protocol agreement designed to provide affordable housing in Lancashire.
Agreed this week at Blackburn’s Old Town Hall, the accord is based on a national protocol laid down by the corporation and the Local Government Association, concerned with the delivery of local priorities.
Regional developers, planners, housing providers and associations have already helped Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council draw up an action plan to facilitate the implementation of the new protocol.
Key points include the promotion of choice-based lettings, the optimal use of council-owned land for affordable housing and the importance of private developments.
Working together, the protocol is expected to help contributing organisations assess delivery performance, maximise available land, tackle homelessness and promote the government’s Respect Agenda.
“Local government has a pivotal role to play in the delivery of affordable housing at a local level,” said Housing Corporation chief executive Jon Rouse.
“The Housing Corporation recognises the importance of this key leadership role and is committed to working in partnership to help meet local housing need.
“This protocol – and others we are signing across the country – will play an important role in the delivery of more and better affordable housing in places where people want to live now and in the future.”
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