Will Savage’s Post

Today's Guardian has a story about the new Government's New Towns strategy which has been much trumpeted during the election campaign and since as a key ingredient of delivering the 1.5 million new homes target set for the term of the new national administration. I've been saying for some time that I have my doubts about New Towns because there's little to suggest from past experience that these are quickly delivered, can be relied upon to be driven by the private sector in a dominant role and are necessarily the most sustainable option when set against urban extensions to major towns and cities. The article, based on research by the Centre for Cities reveals that: + The 'golden era' of New Towns in the 40 years after the 1946 New Towns Act of the immediate post war Labour Government only delivered 3.3% of all new homes; + Between 1947 and 1991, the new town development corporations provided some 307,000 new homes, less than the annual target for new housebuilding set by the new Deputy Prime Minister and Angela Rayner; and + Most importantly of all, three quarters of the homes in the post war New Towns were provided by public sector investment. We're currently working with clients promoting land for residential development on the edge of Milton Keynes, one of the real New Town success stories. It contributed more than twice as many new homes than the average new town development corporation. The new Labour Council there is pro-growth, has met recent housebuilding targets and in its review of its Local Plan has an ambitious vision for the next 25 years. In the absence of serious public money being injected into New Towns coupled with the promised and ambitious step change in housing supply and affordable housing in particular, the new Government should keep away from gimmicks and soundbites or their promises on much needed high quality housing will end up looking like the previous Government's Levelling Up. The task is huge, and it's been 47 long years since more than 300,000 new homes were delivered in a single year and even then that was based on a 50/50 share by the private sector and the state. In the absence of Rachel Reeves reversing her whole narrative and strategy and finding public money for significant investment in housing, the Government will remain largely dependent on the private sector to build new homes. The focus then, has to be on how to provide the best environment for private sector delivery. #newhomes #development #housing #development #townplanning #affordablehomes #newtowns

New Chancellor of the Exchequer Rt Hon Rachel Reeves has set out ambitious plans for new homes today, in her first speech as first female Chancellor. We congratulate The Chancellor on hitting the ground running on such an important issue.    We welcome the new government’s ambition to get more homes built – 1.5m within five years with mandatory targets – but houses need to become homes in communities that can grow and prosper. People will need employment opportunities, health and wellbeing services and spaces, schools and childcare so they can live and thrive for the long term. That’s why placemaking with large landowners is a meaningful opportunity that’s not in today’s headline plans, but we hope to see in the detail.    Alongside immediate ways to accelerate new homes announced today, here is what we say about building homes through placemaking partnerships, including with large landowners, that can deliver several well-planned, desirable new towns. https://lnkd.in/eySRi_Wj   There is much to be learned from the success of the likes of Nansledan, Chapelton and Welborne Garden Village which have seen thousands of new homes in new, sustainable towns created. More of these could undoubtedly help not only get to the target but ensure those new houses can become long term homes with long term prospects.  Susan McDonald, CFA, William Damazer #Employmentandskills #Healthandwellbeing #Communities #Housing

New report – Townscapes: Social infrastructure and the development of new towns – via the Bennet Institute, provides a good overview of the history of new towns and what we have learnt, and still need to learn, about the critical need to social and community infrastructure. Great to see a section on and image of Sherford (Plymouth and the South Hams), and our unfolding work with Sherford Community Land Trust highlighted as good practice. An ongoing journey into community power and ownership, applying what many of us have learnt about “fixing” places, into the design of new places. #communitypower #communityownership #newtowns #CLT #communitybusiness https://lnkd.in/embWXbA2

NEWS: Dame Diane Coyle appointed to government’s New Towns Taskforce The government’s New Towns Taskforce – chaired by Sir Michael Lyons – has appointed eight independent experts – including Bennett Professor of Public Policy, Diane Coyle – to drive forward its new towns programme. The group met for the first time on Tuesday 17 September 2024 in the post-war new town of Milton Keynes to begin their programme of work looking at housing needs and how a new phase of new towns could accelerate economic growth across the country. The Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon Rachel Reeves and Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook attended the first meeting to set out their ambition for the Taskforce, asking its members to identify and recommend locations for new towns within the next year, with a focus on supporting sustainable communities and helping to tackle the national housing crisis. The members will submit a report to ministers next summer that considers key matters including: the strategic case for new towns; location identification and selection; placemaking; design and standards; funding, risk and institutional investment; and unlocking delivery and innovation. Diane brings vast knowledge to the Taskforce, particularly on how best to invest, fund and measure an equitable, sustainable and resilient economy and society. She is the co-author of a recent Bennett Institute report which advocates for the government to adopt the concept of ‘Universal Basic Infrastructure’ (UBI) to address disparities, particularly in regions and towns experiencing economic decline and a lower quality of life. Diane, who is also a Director of The Productivity Institute Institute, a Fellow of the Office for National Statistics, and an academic adviser to the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority), says: “The government’s aim with its new towns programme is to create large-scale communities that could deliver hundreds of thousands of high-quality homes to tackle the national housing crisis and drive economic growth across the country. This initiative is both exciting and ambitious, but also presents considerable challenges that our task force will need to address.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/dveWryFm #NewTownsTaskforce #NewTowns #LevellingUp #economicgrowth

It’s time for Western Australia to get real in the space of planning reform to allow for housing supply being unshackled from archaic 1970’s style zoning controls. We need to take a leaf out of New South Wales, planning reforms. https://lnkd.in/gwRub3PF Unlocking mid-rise housing, using our new R Codes to guide appropriate design and character. De-restricting alternative housing forms in our predominant low density middle ring. Manor homes and dual occupancy as standard on all lots subject to design and character controls. We need to remove minimum lot size per dwelling as a means of measuring appropriate density. Ancillary dwellings only doesn’t do enough, we need to do better. Affordable and Social Housing quotas for Local Government housing targets. State and local planning frameworks to change to ensure the private sector plays its part it delivering this when use of discretion is applied as a “Community Benefit”. Let’s start by analysing the underperformance against Perth to Peel @3.5 million, ask ourselves why and what we can do, like New South Wales to create new housing typology opportunities. Let’s pull the lever what are we waiting for ?

OpEd: Impacts of Housing Issues - Most North County stakeholders will agree that resolving the housing issue is important for ensuring existing worker satisfaction and retention, for attracting good, high-wage jobs, and for maintaining the character and quality of life we all appreciate about the area. The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) Regional Growth Forecast projects North County to grow by 22,000 jobs and 50,000 people by 2050, so it is imperative that the County consider housing options and growth priorities to assure that the current housing problem doesn’t become insurmountable in the decades to come. Read the full post- https://lnkd.in/dVChHrvA

This Rural Housing Week we're joining peers to highlight the many social and economic benefits of affordable housing to rural communities. Hear from a young couple who have recently been able to move into their dream home, in the stunning rural village of Wolsingham, County Durham. The new build development at Stanners Close offers 20 new homes, designed to fit in seamlessly with the local landscape. We are proud to be able to offer a range of affordable and accessible homes in this community, and use the local supply chain doing so. Affordable housing is essential to the prosperity of rural communities. Research shows that building just 10 affordable homes in a rural area generates £1.4m for the economy and supports an average of 26 jobs in the area. However, despite the relatively small scale of these projects, building new affordable homes in rural areas is extremely challenging. This is why we're supporting the National Housing Federation's call for a long-term #planforhousing from the upcoming government. #RuralHousingWeek #believehousing Alan Smith Faye Gordon Kate Abson Rebecca Marshall

Enjoyable Panel Debate on A Planning Roadmap for a New Govt at #Housing2024 with Ian Fletcher Colette McCormack Richard Harvey Tom Dobson & Daniel Williams Lots of support from the panel for Town Planning Departments being properly resourced and leveraging tech and AI to assist them. The usual point on please stop amending the planning system but rather focus on changing the context. Its not the process. Brent v Bromley was cited. Strong leadership was cited. Resource departments properly and elevate and empower town planners as the town planning deliverables and policies have become ever more complex and the environment for embattled town planning officers ever more febrile. Stop the blocking of development (infrastructure and housing as social infrastructure) being a platform for politicians locally when Nationally its a manifesto pledge. #3linewhip in Govt and in Oppositon. NIMBY to YIMBY Be more adaptable/flexible around viability to kick start and then return when times are better. Prioritise affordable housing delivery over S106 financial contributions and CIL. Sort Hillside judgement's impact. Re the doubt from some that Local Plans have not been adopted as evidence of a problem this from Hansard; "Volume 748: debated on Monday 22 April 2024. At the end of March 2024, 110 local planning authorities—a third of the total—had adopted a local plan in the past five years, while 291 had plans that were more than five years old. Of those, more than half are making progress towards updating their plans" Then why does my mic no longer work 😉

🏡 With shifts in policy and funding, many public housing authorities (PHAs) are repositioning their public housing stock to ensure more stable funding for affordable housing. Repositioning involves converting public housing to a new funding platform, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers several strategies to assist PHAs in preserving affordable housing: 🔹 Section 32 Homeownership: PHAs can convert public housing units to homeownership through Section 32, making them available to low-income families. Under this option, PHAs can receive Tenant Protection Vouchers (TPVs) for units occupied by assisted families in the previous 24 months. This strategy is beneficial for PHAs with scattered site developments. 🏠 🔹 Streamlined Voluntary Conversion: PHAs aiming to convert to tenant-based assistance can use Streamlined Voluntary Conversion when they are down to their last 250 public housing units or dispose of properties through Section 18 if eligibility criteria are met. 🔄 🔹 Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD): For PHAs looking to maintain physical units as long-term affordable housing, converting public housing to a Section 8 funding stream through the RAD program or Section 18 is the most common action. This approach helps ensure the sustainability of affordable units. 🏢 👉 Ready to learn more about public housing and repositioning strategies? Check out PAHRC's 2022 report, "Beyond Public Housing: How Public Housing Authorities Are Transforming the Way They Preserve and Expand Their Housing Stock:" https://lnkd.in/e-HChmzG #PAHRC #PublicHousing #AffordableHousing #HousingRepositioning #RAD #Section32 #HUD #CommunityDevelopment 🏘️📈

🏡 With shifts in policy and funding, many public housing authorities (PHAs) are repositioning their public housing stock to ensure more stable funding for affordable housing. Repositioning involves converting public housing to a new funding platform, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers several strategies to assist PHAs in preserving affordable housing: 🔹 Section 32 Homeownership: PHAs can convert public housing units to homeownership through Section 32, making them available to low-income families. Under this option, PHAs can receive Tenant Protection Vouchers (TPVs) for units occupied by assisted families in the previous 24 months. This strategy is beneficial for PHAs with scattered site developments. 🏠 🔹 Streamlined Voluntary Conversion: PHAs aiming to convert to tenant-based assistance can use Streamlined Voluntary Conversion when they are down to their last 250 public housing units or dispose of properties through Section 18 if eligibility criteria are met. 🔄 🔹 Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD): For PHAs looking to maintain physical units as long-term affordable housing, converting public housing to a Section 8 funding stream through the RAD program or Section 18 is the most common action. This approach helps ensure the sustainability of affordable units. 🏢 👉 Ready to learn more about public housing and repositioning strategies? Check out PAHRC's 2022 report, "Beyond Public Housing: How Public Housing Authorities Are Transforming the Way They Preserve and Expand Their Housing Stock:" https://lnkd.in/e-HChmzG #PAHRC #PublicHousing #AffordableHousing #HousingRepositioning #RAD #Section32 #HUD #CommunityDevelopment 🏘️📈