Registered providers should work with local authorities to get Britain building

As a result, Bevan Brittan continues to see that partnership or collaborative working between registered providers and local authorities is the way forward to “get Britain building again”. The advantages of a public sector partnership lie in:

1. Pooling of resources and the sharing of risk
2. Fostering a more altruistic approach based on long-term stewardship
3. Identifying and bringing back into use unproductive sites, or those no longer fit for purpose, including grey belt land with their local area of operation
4. Focus on alignment of their shared commitment to shared communities with good-quality, sustainable housing, and green spaces leading to improved health and well-being for residents
5. The fact that they are already working together and are familiar with each other’s structures, processes and approach

We have seen these types of partnerships become an increasing reality in the market and those that are in place are reaping rewards. For example, Brighton & Hove City Council and Hyde Housing Association are aiming to deliver 1,000 affordable homes across a range of sites within Brighton. 

If the partnership is structured correctly you can ensure that public procurement concerns, financing and access to land issues are all dealt with and you can secure tax advantages.

The additional pledges from Labour will directly feed into these areas and we think would allow more flexibility – be that in reform of the planning system, the redefinition of the green belt (clearly defining the brownfield and grey belt land available for development), steps to build infrastructure, mandatory housing targets, changes to the Affordable Homes Programme etc.

As always, however, there have been some negative comments and observations on the announcements made so far. Some of these are summarised below.

1. You cannot produce more housing out of existing funding due to constraints caused by inflation, interest, lack of skilled workers and availability of materials together with increased regulatory requirements – ie building safety, aspirations to increase climate resilience and promotion of nature recovery through environmental protections.
2. There is a need for more government investment. Will the “increased protections on newly built social rented homes”, whatever that might be, deflate investor appetite in providing private finance?
3. There is a need for a long-term rent settlement to allow for adequate funding to maintain affordable housing.
4. Genuine sustainable communities cannot be achieved without the involvement of the private sector.
5. Can other public authorities be forced into making their land available for building new housing – for example the NHS, the National Trust, English Heritage – where it would be appropriate to do so?
6. There is a need for an extension of or new affordable homes/infrastructure funding schemes and the unlocking of government grants.
7. To achieve the speed of build necessary, there will need to be a reliance on modern methods of construction, which may be an issue for funders.
8. To enable land to be accessed quickly enough and at fixed prices, there will need to be reform of compulsory purchase powers and this is unlikely to happen quickly.
9. How long will it take to secure the funding from non-resident stamp duty transactions and put in place fully trained planning officers who are ready to start work?
10. This is a step in the right direction, but these sites can often pose a unique set of challenges and may not be attractive to developers compared to other options available.

The above having been said, however, what the housing sector is extremely good at and has proved itself in the past to be is a master at creating workable solutions. 

The announcement made fits well with the Chartered Institute of Housing’s call for a national review of green belt land to identify areas of low environmental value that should be considered for development, while still prioritising brownfield sites.

We think it is time to grab what is on offer, help create the solution and then do what we are best at: building and creating communities that people want to live and thrive in.

Wendy Wilks, partner, Bevan Brittan