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HOUSING NEWS: INNOVATION ROUND-UP
03 July 2009
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Click the pictures to see why they are smiling
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TSA FUNDING TO PROMOTE BEST PRACTICE AND INNOVATION
03 July 2009
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A new project to identify and promote best practice by social housing providers in England has been launched by the Tenant Services Authority (TSA).
Providers such as housing associations, local authorities and ALMOs are invited to make bids of up to £9,000 to support the development of agreements between landlords and their tenants to develop 'local deals'. The aim is to enhance the level of service in response to particular local needs and strengthen landlord accountabilities to their local community.
The TSA is also keen to learn from providers who already involve their residents in the design and delivery of locally responsive services so that this existing best practice can be shared and used to inform the development of the TSA’s Standards Framework.
Peter Marsh, TSA Chief Executive said: "We are really keen to support new and innovative schemes and identify best practice which people can learn from.
“We know from our National Conversation that local priorities vary from place to place and we want to support landlords to design and tailor services to meet the specific needs of local areas. We look forward to receiving a wide range of innovative bids from across the housing sector.”
Interested providers can find the application form and instructions HERE from July 2. The deadline for submissions is August 5.
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TPAS CALLS FOR TENANT FOCUS IN NEW PLANS FOR SOCIAL HOUSING
03 July 2009
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Michelle Reid
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Tenants should be at the heart of new Government proposals to introduce greater priority for local people in the letting of social housing, according to TPAS.
TPAS has welcomed the PM’s statement setting out proposals for making the letting of social housing a matter of greater local choice. It supports the creation of strong, mixed communities and the importance of letting homes in a fair and transparent way. It recognises that communities are strengthened when they are built upon a clear choice by people to remain in the areas where their families live.
The creation of sustainable communities that are diverse but also based upon a positive desire by people to live in an area leads to stronger cohesive communities. This sense of belonging to an area can create more support and stability both for younger and older people. In short, it makes communities more attractive to the people who want to live in them.
TPAS Chief Executive, Michelle Reid said: “I welcome the Prime Ministers statement and its commitment to giving local people higher priority in council allocation schemes. This can only help to build sustainable communities.
“It is right to give local people in housing need more priority, and right to help people make a positive choice about where they want to live. Balanced with an inclusive approach to people from all communities, we believe this is a positive step forward for social housing.”
TPAS believes that in order to achieve this positive proposal Councils across the country will need to amend their lettings policy to introduce local lettings priorities within their overall approach to Choice Based Lettings. TPAS is asking all Councils to give a commitment to involve tenants in drawing up local lettings schemes.
Michelle added: “We believe that only by involving tenants in design and operation of local lettings will local needs be met fairly and sustainable communities created.”
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URBAN REGENERATION UNDERMINED BY GREENFIELD DEVELOPMENT
03 July 2009
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A study published by CPRE demonstrates that an excess of greenfield land with planning permission can render brownfield development unviable.
Drawing on data on planning consents, housebuilding and construction costs, researchers created a model of development viability. This was used to explore how the availability of greenfield land with planning permission affects the economics of brownfield development in nine local authority areas. It finds that brownfield viability is worst affected in areas which have significantly more greenfield than brownfield land supply.
Brownfield viability is less affected by low levels of competing greenfield land supply. The research suggests, especially in North Tyneside and Corby, that high levels of housebuilding in one part of a local authority area sends market signals that make development less viable in other parts of the same authority area.
Kate Gordon, CPRE’s Senior Planner, said: “The findings have wide significance. Councils are expected to find land to accommodate the national target of 3 million new homes by 2020.
“Areas that have relied in the past on brownfield sites to meet their housing needs, face pressure to allocate greenfield land for development. As a consequence, areas where brownfield development viability is not at present threatened by competing greenfield land supply, such as Southampton, may find that this situation changes in future.
“We urge Councils contemplating large-scale greenfield land releases not to proceed unless they are satisfied these will not harm prospects for redevelopment and regeneration.
“Tremendous potential still exists to make better use of brownfield opportunities and reap the long term rewards in terms of urban renewal. As this study shows, for this potential to be realised, great care needs to be taken over the scale, location and timing of greenfield land release.”
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SOCIAL HOUSING PLAN MUST NOT BE AT THE EXPENSE OF UPGRADING STOCK
03 July 2009
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Brian Berry
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The current confusion about how the £1.57bn social housing programme will be funded must not be at the expense of taking money away from the refurbishment of our social housing stock, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs at the FMB said: “The chaos about which government department is going to pay for the Prime Minister’s £1.57bn social housing programme sadly reflects the mess that government housing policy is in. We desperately need more affordable homes but taking money from existing refurbishment schemes is merely robbing Peter to pay Paul.
“The maintenance of our existing 3.8 million social homes is fundamental if we are not to repeat the mistakes of the past and allow social house housing to fall into disrepair with all the social problems that come about as a result.
“Poorly maintained social homes store up real financial problems for the future because of the extra costs placed on health, police and social services. Putting all the emphasis on new social homes is not the answer if it means taking away budgets for the maintenance of existing homes. I thought the lesson had been learnt by the Government but it appears not.
“A simple and more cost effective solution to tackle the refurbishment of both social and private housing would be to cut VAT from 15 to five per cent for all repair and maintenance work.
“This would also help bring the 700,000 empty homes in England back into use. It’s a shame the Government concentrates on the talk about the delivery of better homes rather than introducing a simple practical measure to actually deliver its aim.”
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SDC LAYS OUT PLANS FOR SUSTAINABLE SOCIETIES
03 July 2009
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The Sustainable Development Commission has unveiled 19 ideas that could transform the UK into a sustainable society.
The SDC's Breakthroughs for the 21st Century project sets out to identify the ideas which could make the biggest impact on Britain’s efforts to tackle climate change, resource depletion and inequality.
Almost 300 ideas were submitted by the public, businesses, academics, and sustainability professionals of which 19 were selected by SDC Commissioners as potential breakthroughs.
The 19 individuals and groups behind the final selection will showcase their ideas at a conference, hosted by Anna Ford, Jonathan Dimbleby and Rosie Boycott, where they will be paid a special visit by HRH the Prince of Wales. 400 high-level community, business, public service and Government representatives will be present to discuss how to make the ideas a national reality.
Among the 19 final ideas selected were The Royal Bank of Sustainability – Transforming the bank most closely associated with the oil and gas industry into one which invest in projects to halt the effects of climate change; and Algae and carbon capture – using fast-growing algae to absorb the CO2 given off by the industrial burning of fossil fuels.
SDC Chair, Jonathon Porritt said: "Progress on sustainable development, at the national level, has been slow. Yet all over the country, there are people taking action to make their own communities more sustainable, driving forward technological innovations, and pushing the policy agenda with really big ideas.
"Some of the Breakthrough ideas we’ve selected represent cutting-edge innovation and imagination; others are familiar but powerful ideas whose time has come. We wanted to celebrate the hard work behind these ideas, and start a bigger conversation about how the UK can best take these – and a host of other great ideas – forward. We’ve been talking about it for long enough. What we’ve got to do now is make it happen."
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