Press Release

The Homes and Communities Agency - Time for a new direction for housing?

27 November 2008

Countryside campaigners, CPRE [1], welcome the launch of the new Homes and Communities Agency [2] and today publish their own agenda for a new direction in housing policy. The Agency is being formed through a merger of English Partnerships, the Housing Corporation and the Academy for Sustainable Communities and will be the largest regeneration agency in Europe.

Kate Gordon, CPRE's Senior Planner, said:

"The early signs are encouraging. Even before being formally set up the Agency has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders and appears to recognise the importance of working with communities, and addressing environmental concerns. Having a chair and chief executive with strong backgrounds in regeneration and the environment should bring a welcome sense of balance to the housing sector.

"The market-driven approach that has dominated housing in recent years and focuses on housing numbers at the expense of almost everything else – quality, the environment and communities – has proved disastrous. With their remit and resources, including valuable experience from predecessor bodies, the Homes and Communities Agency is well placed to set us on the right course."

In its own agenda for the Agency, CPRE is calling for it to:

• demonstrate a commitment to a plan-led approach to housing supply to ensure that the level and location of housebuilding is tested and agreed through local and regional plans;

• work with local communities to identify local housing needs and the best way of meeting these using best practice consultation techniques;

• develop the National Land Use Database and National Brownfield Strategy inherited from English Partnerships so that we can make better use of previously developed land;[3]

• give a clear priority to urban brownfield development in suitable areas over development on green fields;[4]

• maximise the potential from existing property, eg. through a strategy to bring more empty homes into use;[5]

• give a high priority to rural affordable housing, including setting targets for delivering affordable homes in small rural settlements;[6]

• promote best practice in design, sustainable construction and mixed use to ensure the quality of new homes, in terms of aesthetic beauty and environmental standards, is not sacrificed in pursuit of targets;

• avoid using the planning powers made available to the Agency through the Housing and Regeneration Act, 2008, unless local planning authorities specifically request this and there is a clear justification.[7]

Kate Gordon concluded:

"The creation of the Agency couldn't come at a more opportune time. The nation desperately needs a new direction for housing policy. By following the priorities we identify, CPRE believes that the new Homes and Communities Agency can make a major contribution to a sustainable housing recovery." [8]

Notes for Editoris:

1. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Bill Bryson. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen. www.cpre.org.uk

2. The Housing and Regeneration Act received Royal Assent in July, and establishes a new body, The Homes and Communities Agency (HACA), to deliver the Government's housebuilding agenda. HACA will bring together English Partnerships, the Housing Corporation and the Academy for Sustainable Communities. It will have wide ranging powers, including land acquisition, compulsory purchase and planning powers, a staff of more than 800 and a budget of several billion pounds. It has appointed a chief executive, Sir Bob Kerslake; a chair, Robert Napier; a board and nine regional directors. Sir Bob previously oversaw Sheffield's regeneration and Robert Napier was formerly chief executive at WWF.

3. CPRE welcomes the progress made on recycling brownfield land with 77 per cent of new homes built on brownfield sites last year (Land Use Change Statistics, Communities and Local Government, October 2008). This compares with less than 60 per cent in the 1990s. Further progress could be jeopardised. Our analysis of regional plans shows that over 2,250 hectares of greenfield land could be developed for housing every year. By 2020 this would mean the loss of 27,182ha, an area equivalent to over 36,000 football pitches or the size of the City of Birmingham.

4. The National Land Use Database identifies enough brownfield land to accommodate a million homes (around 27,000 of the 63,000 hectares identified is suitable for housing). Although this underestimates brownfield potential – since it does not record all small sites – NLUD provides an authoritative source of information on brownfield land available in England. Figures are updated and published annually (by Communities and Local Government) in Previously Developed land that may be available for development. In order to make the best use of brownfield potential and identify actions needed to tackle brownfield blight, it is vital that work on the National Brownfield Strategy continues.

5. There are around 750,000 empty homes in England and the number is rising. The economic downturn is making the situation worse, with an estimated 100,000 empty homes in London alone (Empty Homes Agency news releases, 2 September and 24 November).

6. Waiting lists for social housing in rural districts have risen by 40 per cent since 2003. CPRE welcomes the increased funding announced by Government but more is needed to deliver the 11,000 affordable homes the Rural Affordable Housing Commission recommended should be provided each year in rural settlements of under 10,000 people. CPRE's joint charter with the National Housing Federation Save rural England: build affordable homes set out actions that are needed.

7. The Housing and Regeneration Act allows the Homes and Communities Agency to take over as the planning authority for an area.

8. CPRE's steps towards a sustainable housing recovery:

1. Housing should be viewed primarily as a service, rather than a commodity or speculative investment.

2. Effective regulation should be supported by a robust and democratic planning policy framework.

3. There should be an end to reckless lending with the right regulatory and fiscal framework in place to secure responsible levels of lending and transparent accounting.

4. Local planning should ensure that the level and location of new housing is based on genuine needs, rather than market demand, and secure efficient use of land.

5. Clear aims should replace top-down supply targets, with incentives, policies, regulation, funding and taxation, to support quality and address genuine needs and circumstances.

6. The size, type, tenure and cost of new homes should match identified needs.

7. A sequential brownfield first approach should place priority on bringing into use empty properties and urban regeneration over greenfield development.

8. A more diverse housing sector, with less reliance on homeownership, an expansion of private renting and the intermediate housing market and support for Community Land Trusts and Real Estate Investment Trusts.

9. A renewed commitment to affordable social rented housing, with increased public funding to offset the loss of contributions from private developers through Section 106 agreements.

10. Maintain the drive towards higher environmental, energy efficiency, construction and design standards – in new and existing buildings – with private housing required to achieve the same high standards required by social housing.