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ROUGH SLEEPER NUMBERS HIT ELEVEN YEAR LOW
19 July 2010
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Grant Shapps
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The numbers of rough sleepers in England has hit an eleven-year low, according to figures new.
In total, 70 councils conducted street counts and reported that there were 440 rough sleepers in England on any given night. In comparison, in 2009 76 councils conducted street counts and recorded 464 rough sleepers.
Housing Minister, Grant Shapps has said he is sceptical of the methodology behind the street counts - currently, only councils considered to have a problem with rough sleeping have been required to conduct a count.
So he will shortly consult on plans for a complete overhaul on the means of counting rough sleepers, to give councils and charities a credible measure that truly reflects the situation on the streets.
He said: "Today's figures show that rough sleeping is at an eleven-year low - but I am sceptical that these figures reflect the situation on the streets. Only councils considered to have a rough sleeping problem have been required to conduct counts - so in some of our biggest cities, while local people would be acutely aware of the problem of rough sleeping, official street counts were not conducted.
"That's why I will shortly publish plans for a complete overhaul of the way the problem of rough sleeping is assessed so councils and charities can be given a credible measure of the problem in their area."
A long-term campaigner for the homeless, the Minister has confirmed that he will do all he can to safeguard homelessness funding in the face of tough economic times. Already, in-year savings of £6.2bn across Whitehall and the emergency Budget outlining further measures to cut the deficit, Government funding for tackling homelessness has remained unchanged.
Mr Shapps also chairs a cross-departmental group of ministers from eight different Government departments, working together to see how the policies for which they have responsibility can help address the complex problems that cause people to lose their home.
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APPROACH TO LOCALISM MARKS SHIFT IN APPROACH TO DESIGN AND PLACEMAKING
19 July 2010
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The coalition government's approach to localism marks a fundamental shift in the way to approach good design and placemaking, so councillors need to be better prepared to make decisions about urban design, according to CABE.
CABE has published online practical support for councillors using their power to influence the quality of their local area. Advice is offered to leaders and mayors; executive members and portfolio holders; committee members and ward councilllors, to help them deliver good design and great places.
Case studies illustrate effective initiatives by councillors, from a ward member playing an honest broker role over a school, to leaders delivering transformation in Gateshead.
Other case studies highlight the work of councillors within six areas of influence. These include work for improved green space, such as supporting meadowland purchase; and for improved town centres, whether it is redeveloping Liverpool City Centre or developing a visionary masterplan for the Cambridgeshire market town of Soham.
The new online resource includes seven principles of urban design which can be used to decide whether a proposal is any good. Although the resource is online, you can still download a PDF version to save to your computer or print out.
Richard Simmons, CABE chief executive, thinks that the new resource will support councillors in shaping the future of their area, and maximising return on investment.
He said: “Few people are better placed to know what the community wants for their neighbourhood than a councillor. And few are better placed to help them get it.”
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SECOND HALF PRICE FALLS OF SEVEN PER CENT FORECAST TO WIPE OUT FIRST HALF GAINS
19 July 2010
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With new seller numbers outstripping new mortgage approvals by approximately 5:2, the second half of the year looks set to see prices drift back to where they were at the beginning of the year as buyers get the upper hand, according to Rightmove.
An early indication of where prices are headed is new-to-market sellers dropping their asking prices for the first time this year, down by 0.6% (£1,435) this month.
Miles Shipside, commercial director of Rightmove, said: “The number of new mortgages being approved each month is less than half the number of new sellers, with the imbalance being exacerbated by the increase of nearly 50% in the number of properties coming to market compared to a year ago.
“More aggressive pricing is now the order of the day, which means that conditions are ripe for a strong buyers’ market in the second half of 2010. This is likely to see the average price gains of 7% for the first half of the year wiped out by year-end, in line with Rightmove’s original forecast for the year of no net change in prices.”
The end of spring traditionally heralds a tougher time for sellers as the market goes into recess for the summer. The 123,507 new sellers that Rightmove has recorded coming to market in this month’s index have reacted by asking an average of 0.6% less for their property than the month before.
This is the first month-on-month fall in 2010, and with the likelihood of more economic pain to come, we forecast further downward pressure on new sellers’ asking prices. Average asking prices increased by £15,506 (7.0%) in the first six months of this year from £222,261 to a peak of £237,767 in June.
While there will be some major variations between different local housing markets, we predict the national average will fall by a similar amount by year-end, reversing the gains recorded in the more buoyant first half of 2010. Sellers will need to continue to be more realistic in their pricing, as the number of mortgage approvals seems rationed at around 11,000 a week compared to the consistent weekly runrate of circa 30,000 newly marketed properties. A mortgage is not required for every property on the market, as around half of all properties are either withdrawn by the seller or purchased by cash buyers.
However, the inability of demand to keep pace with supply as buyers struggle to obtain a mortgage is shown by the continuing rise in available stock per estate agency branch. The spring buying season has failed to stabilise agents’ stock levels, with an unseasonal rise from 74 to 77 unsold properties per agent this month widening the choice available to those buyers who can proceed. This is the fifth consecutive monthly rise and the highest stock level since August 2008.
Shipside added: “Estate agents are suffering from podgy portfolios, and buyers’ fitness to purchase is in correspondingly poor shape. With agents beginning to choke on a surfeit of new stock, sellers are going to have to price at bargain levels and bullishly promote their properties in order to stand out from the crowd.
“Those sellers that act more quickly will be able to lock-in some of the price gains made in the last eighteen months. However, the tradition of testing the water at a higher figure before reducing at a later date will backfire in areas of excess supply, as over-ambitious sellers will have to cut back even more as they chase prices downwards.”
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CAMERON HITS OUT AT BENEFIT SYSTEM UNDER LABOUR
19 July 2010
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David Cameron
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Prime Minister, David Cameron has hit out at the benefits system under Labour, telling MPs it was an ‘outrage’ that a family was able to claim £2,000 a week in benefits to live in a luxury townhouse.
He said housing benefits had got "completely out of control" under Labour but the new Government would impose a cap next year. At Prime Minister's Questions he said many people would regard the new £400-a-week limit as "very, very generous".
It was reported that Abdi and Sayruq Nur and their seven children moved into their three-storey property in Kensington, central London, at a cost of £8,000 a month.
The issue was raised by Tory Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon), who asked Mr Cameron: "Do you agree that Mr Nur and his family, who have moved into a £2,000-a-week house at the taxpayers' expense in Kensington, is exactly the sort of thing the coalition was elected to fight against?"
The Prime Minister said: "The housing benefit situation, particularly in central London, has got completely out of control. The idea that a family should be able to claim £2,000 a week for their house I think is an outrage for people who go to work every day, pay their taxes and try and do the right thing for their family.
"That is why we will cap housing benefit levels from April next year so the maximum that can be claimed will be £400 a week for a property with more than four bedrooms. Even £400 a week, many people on ordinary incomes will look at that and find that very, very generous for how we help people, and every penny of that comes out of hard-earned taxes."
The changes were announced in last month's Budget, when Chancellor George Osborne told MPs the cost of housing benefit had risen from £14 billion 10 years ago to £21 billion today - more than was spent on the police and on universities combined.
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SHELTERED HOUSING SCHEMES GET RESIDENTS ONLINE
19 July 2010
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Over a hundred sheltered housing schemes from across the country have received a total of £402,000 in funding as part of the first stage of an outreach activity – Get Digital - to help residents in sheltered housing get online.
The money – up to a maximum of £5000 for each scheme – is used for computers, software, printers and other digital equipment. In-house IT training for residents is provided by Digital Unite tutors.
The last of the money has been awarded to 30 sheltered housing schemes in the North of England. This follows similar funding made across the rest of England over the past few months. Further money is available for another 91 schemes in a second round of funding which will close on 3rd September 2010.
Doreen Thomas, Lifestyle Coordinator at Testway Housing in Hampshire, one of the first schemes to receive funding, said, “We were delighted to get this grant. Both staff and residents are really excited about the project. A Get Digital tutor has worked with our residents at one of our housing for older people schemes in Romsey. It’s already opened up a whole new world for some of them.”
John MacLeod, a housing scheme resident in Romsey, said, "It gets people out of their flats. I've learnt how to email my friend in Mozambique, shop on Amazon and Russell our tutor is brilliant."
Susan Easton, Project Manager of the Get Digital Project said: “Lots of schemes and their residents are already benefitting from the first round of grants but there is still a chance for landlords and scheme managers to get involved.
“There is a second round of applications that closes on 3 September 2010. We are particularly interested in hearing from schemes who have never done anything remotely like this before and that have major reservations about getting involved. Support will be given to them so that they and their residents can benefit from this scheme too.”
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BUDGET UNCERTAINTY SEES ACTIVITY DROPS IN JUNE
19 July 2010
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Housing market activity slowed down during June as uncertainty caused by the Budget led to people putting their moving decisions on hold, research has indicated.
The average number of properties sold per estate agent fell to six during the month, down from eight in May, according to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA).
The number of new properties being put up for sale also dropped for the first time in four months, with estate agents having an average of 59 properties on their books in June, compared with 62 in May.
The group attributed the falls to people putting off plans to buy or sell a home until they had a clearer idea of what impact the Budget would have on them.
But there were signs that the housing market may pick up during the summer, with the number of house-hunters registered with estate agents rising to an average of 279 per branch during the month, up from 265 in May.
Michael Jones, NAEA president, said: "It's encouraging to see that increasing numbers of buyers have entered into the market. There is clearly demand for property at present but these figures suggest that the banks are still being restrictive in their mortgage lending policies to buyers."
But the NAEA's figures contrast with ones reported by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors earlier this week.
The group said the number of surveyors reporting a rise in homes being put on the market had reached its highest level since May 2007, while the number of potential buyers registering with estate agents fell for only the second time since the latter part of 2008.
Surveyors were also pessimistic about the outlook for the housing market, predicting property prices would fall during the coming months as the mismatch between supply and demand, widely seen as a major factor in the housing market recovery, eased.
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PLANS FOR 85,000 HOMES DROPPED AFTER SCRAPPING OF REGIONAL HOUSEBUILDING TARGETS
20 July 2010
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Almost 85,000 planned homes have been scrapped by councils across England in the wake of the Government’s decision to axe regional housebuilding targets, according to a campaign group.
An independent report, commissioned by the National Housing Federation, found many town halls have substantially reduced plans for new homes following the decision by ministers to advise them to ignore the previous government’s regional housebuilding targets and the subsequent abolition of the targets altogether.
Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles wrote to local authorities in May outlining the Government’s commitment to abolishing regional strategies. This followed a letter sent to local authorities last year by Caroline Spelman, who was then shadow Communities Secretary, announcing the Conservative party’s intention to abolish regional targets following the election.
On 6 July, Mr Pickles formally revoked the regional targets with immediate effect saying: “They were a terrible, expensive, time-consuming way to impose house building.”
The research commissioned by the Federation – carried out by Tetlow King Planning – found Mr Pickles’s letter in May had a ‘very significant impact’ on reducing local authority housebuilding targets. The Federation believes the Government’s decision to allow councils to ignore the regional targets has resulted directly or indirectly in plans to build 84,150homes being dropped.
Only 123,000 homes were built in 2009/10 – the lowest figure since 1923. But the scrapping of the housing targets could see that total fall below the 100,000 mark for the first time in almost a century. This would prove disastrous for the record 4.5 million people in England currently stuck on housing waiting lists.
King said: “In the immediate aftermath of Mr Pickles’s letter a number of authorities announced that they would be reducing their housing targets or suspending work on core [housing] strategies. A number also delayed the determination of large strategic housing developments.”
They added: “Some authorities had already been planning for lower targets before Eric Pickles’s letter was released...Some had been influenced by Caroline Spelman’s letter, sent in August 2009, advising local authorities of a potential Conservative Government’s intention to abolish regional housing targets and not to progress controversial housing targets.”
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CIH CALLS FOR RE-EXAMINATION OF SOCIAL HOUSING ALLOCATION
20 July 2010
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Abigail Davies
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The CIH is calling for a re-examination of the way we allocate social housing in England. With increasing levels of demand and less than half the homes needed being built change is needed.
In a new report, CIH sets out the problems associated with the way we currently allocate social housing and considers the potential opportunities, challenges and aspirations for reform.
Allocating social housing: opportunities and challenges looks at views on reform from across the housing sector and explores approaches from different countries. It considers how to take pressure off social housing as well as ways to use what is available more effectively.
The report examines the pros and cons of different approaches to funding the development of new social housing, promoting mobility for existing tenants, improving access to the private rented sector, letting social housing on new terms, and allowing local authorities to manage their allocations according to the local housing, social and economic needs of their area.
Abigail Davies, CIH Head of Policy, said: "Re-thinking social housing allocations is not straightforward. The options available are wide ranging and have potential to fundamentally change landlords' use of social housing as well as tenants' experience of accessing and living in it.
“Because of this, if reform of allocations is to be pursued, then detailed and open discussion of options and consequences is essential. This debate is overdue. With our current housing crisis we need to be prepared tackle this difficult issue. We hope this report prompts government and the sector to act.”
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RIGHT TO BUY FAILED TO MOBILISE WORKFORCE
20 July 2010
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Thirty years on from Margaret Thatcher's decision to give council tenants the right to buy the house they had been renting, research conducted by the University of St Andrews suggests the scheme has failed to mobilise the workforce as expected.
Dr Maarten Van Ham of the Centre for Housing Research, an expert in the area of neighbourhoods and housing said: "The right to buy has given many households access to home ownership, but not to better places, so what have they gained? It concerns me that many are stuck in the same house and the same neighbourhood.”
Since its inception in 1980, more than 2.7 million homes have been sold under the scheme, which promised to give those in social housing the right to move to respond to job opportunities in other regions of the country.
In the first analysis of its kind, researchers at the University of St Andrews have studied the moving behaviour of social renters in the UK who exercised their right to buy compared with traditional owners and tenants.
The research shows that Right to Buy failed to free up labour as hoped, with the mobility of Right to Buy owners falling between that of social renters and traditional owners. The findings also suggest that the Right to Buy has trapped some owners in their neighbourhoods, while neighbourhood problems appear to be the main reasons why Right to Buy owners want to move.
Even though some of the best housing stock in the best neighbourhoods was sold under the Right to Buy scheme, it seems many right to buy owners have been left unable to fulfil their dream of moving to better neighbourhoods.
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REPOSSESSIONS MAY INCREASE IN RESURGENT HOUSING MARKET
20 July 2010
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A housing market recovery may lead to an increase in the number of repossessions as lenders enforce suspended possession orders after previous leniency, according to the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS).
The UK’s leading debt charity counsels a large number of clients with suspended repossession orders on their homes which lenders have chosen not to enforce despite clients failing to meet court stipulated payments.
This situation is likely to be aggravated in October when Support for Mortgage Interest payments for those who have lost their jobs are halved from 6.08 to 3.09 percent, to match the Bank of England’s average mortgage rate.
Delroy Corinaldi, CCCS’s director of external affairs, said: “There is no doubt that lenders have shown leniency towards debtors during the recession by not enforcing suspended possession orders. However, this leniency may have been partly determined by the markets.
“In addition, some lenders are increasingly showing reluctance in allowing struggling debtors to switch to interest-only mortgages as a short term solution, giving people the necessary breathing space to find other more sustainable options.”
CCCS offers specialist mortgage arrears and repossessions counselling for all those who contact the service with two months or more mortgage arrears. It dealt with over 7,300 calls in 2009.
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COMPETITION FOR DEVELOPMENT LAND BOOSTING VALUES
20 July 2010
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Competition for development land is at last boosting development land values, but a real gulf is emerging between small sites in high demand housing markets, particularly in London and the South East, according to new research from Savills.
By contrast, the longer-term promotion and preparation costs associated with larger sites continues to take its toll on value growth and many remain mothballed and unsaleable.
Across the country some developers have recapitalised and are actively seeking land, creating competition again for small ‘easy’ sites in areas with an identifiable housing need or shortage. The rarity factor of such sites in prime locations is really driving up prices, in some cases now within 20% of peak 2007 levels.
The average value of residential development land showed growth, albeit modest, over the past three months. Greenfield land values rose by an average of 3.2% and urban land values by 3.8%, taking annual growth rates to 16.6% and 14.1% respectively.
Yolande Barnes, head of residential research at Savills, said: “But average growth figures disguise huge variations, and need to be treated with some caution. The development land market is now polarised on virtually every level: between North and South; high and low value housing markets; large, infrastructure-hungry sites and small easy to develop de-risked sites.
“More than ever, those in the market need to evaluate sites on a case by case basis, since the value of each site and, ultimately, its ability to generate revenue, will be determined by regional and, in many cases, highly localised factors.”
South East greenfield values are growing fastest (now just -37% below their 2007 peak), driven by strong demand for ready to build, greenfield sites. This reflects growing developer confidence based firmly on the underlying resilience of its residential market and an acute shortage of suitable land, in particular sites which meet their risk averse requirement for land that delivers .
By contrast, urban, brownfield values in the North continue to slide, down -2.2% in the quarter, at the extreme still -71% from peak in the extreme North of England. Such sites require promotional capital beyond the means of a fundamentally cautious and under-capitalised market. Urban land values, particularly the larger sites, therefore continue to languish.
In most locations, speculative city centre apartment building for buy to let is a thing of the past. The most viable sites are those that can be developed for high density family houses. The viable apartment market has shifted from small units for highly geared investors/first time buyers towards larger, more upmarket product so land for apartments in prime areas has begun to show signs of life.
The UK development land market is seeing significant improvements, but innovative new approaches to funding will need to be further developed if the market is to see beyond ‘easy’ sites and begin to tackle the more complex and infrastructure hungry ones.
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REVIEW OF DESIGN COUNCIL ANNOUNCED
20 July 2010
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David Willetts, Minister of State for Universities and Science, has announced a review of the Design Council.
The Minister and the Design Council Chair, Lord Bichard have invited Martin Temple, Chairman of the 600 group, to lead the review. It will consider the future role and status of the Design Council as the national strategic design body.
Willetts said: “The UK is a world leader in design and the Design Council has played an important role in promoting the value of design to the economy With the forthcoming Spending Review it is right that we take this opportunity to assess the role of the Design Council and consider options for the future.
“I have asked Martin Temple to lead the review - he brings a wealth of business experience, as well as knowledge of the Design Council through his role as a board member.”
Lord Bichard said: “I believe design will play a key role in driving renewal of economic growth and efficient, customer focussed public services. It is a rising force on political agendas around the world, in Europe, the US and most notably the Far East, where there is significant national investment in building support infrastructure and growing design capability.
“The economic importance of design in the UK is not in question, nor is there doubt about the existence of market failures and the need for support; it is a question of how this support is best delivered.”
Martin Temple said: "I am delighted to lead this review. I am a huge supporter of design and the review is an opportunity to reflect on the role of the Design Council as the national strategic design body and to think radically about delivery options going forward."
Mr Temple will present his recommendations to Ministers in September 2010.
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GROSS MORTGAGE LENDING UP 15 PER CENT IN JUNE
21 July 2010
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Gross mortgage lending in June was an estimated £13.1bn, a 15% increase from £11.4bn in May and a seven per cent increase from £12.2bn in June last year, according to new data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
Gross lending in the second quarter of 2010 was an estimated £35 billion, up 17% from the first quarter of this year (£30 billion) and up 7% from the second quarter of 2009 (£32.7 billion). Lending in the first half of 2010 remained unchanged from the first half of 2009 (£65 billion).
CML economist, Paul Samter said: “Our gross lending estimate of £13.1 billion in June represents a seasonal pick-up and is higher than June last year, but is still indicative of low levels of activity.
“There are signs of house prices stabilising and more properties coming onto the market following the abolition of home information packs. This may improve liquidity in the market, but transaction levels are subdued and likely to remain so while access to credit remains constrained.
“The FSA has outlined a clear direction of travel as part of its mortgage market review. The consultation paper on responsible lending increases the regulatory burden on lenders and could make it harder for borrowers to access credit.”
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NEW BOOK EXAMINES IMPACT OF HOUSING MARKET RENEWAL PATHFINDERS
21 July 2010
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A new book, Building Sustainable Housing Markets, looks at the impact of the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders.
Ten years ago, there was widespread concern that the bottom had fallen out of the housing market in many parts of the North and the Midlands. As a result, the government set up nine HMR Pathfinders, tasked with reconfiguring the housing markets in these areas and putting them on a more sustainable footing. Since then, millions has been spent, thousands of obsolete houses have been demolished and thousands more new houses have been built.
Following their work in making the case for intervention in housing markets, and their subsequent work in monitoring the results over the last decade, the authors show that the programme spent over £1bn, led to more than 10,000 houses being demolished and 13,000 new ones built, while 45,000 were renovated. It therefore had a considerable impact on the neighbourhoods that received the investment, and house prices rose.
What is less certain is the longer-term impact of the programme. The authors argue that it was set with over-ambitious objectives which it had little hope of fully realising. The reasons for housing market distortions between north and south, and between different parts of a region like Yorkshire, cannot be solved by investing in declining neighbourhoods alone, even though this may help those neighbourhoods.
The programme succeeded in mitigating the worst effects of the 'low demand' problem in the areas where the programme was carried out. But in itself it has not been able to reconfigure large parts of the housing market - nor should it have been expected to.
Peter Lee, senior lecturer at the School of Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham and co-author of the book, said: "HMR represented an experimental injection of public funding over a fairly long period of time from which lessons can be learnt and built on.
“Many neighbourhoods in the North and Midlands still need the kind of innovative approach to regeneration demonstrated by the nine pathfinders. The experience of HMR can help shape new public service delivery and approaches such as 'Total Place' and the worst outcome would be for the government to simply abandon this programme or the areas that it covers."
Ed Ferrari, lecturer at the Department of Town and Regional Planning at the University of Sheffield, co-author of the book, said: "HMR is an important example of a new type of regeneration policy that recognised that no neighbourhood is an island and that the broad connections between places and regions matter. While it is clear that delivering such a complex agenda was never going to be easy, HMR represents more than just an 'experiment' - the need for strategic and realistic thinking about housing and neighbourhoods remains as acute as ever."
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NFA AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
21 July 2010
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The winners of the 2010 National Federation of ALMOs (NFA) Awards have been announced at a ceremony at the Midland Hotel, Manchester,
Representatives from the 20 short-listed ALMOs across the country gathered for the award ceremony, part of the NFA’s annual two day conference alongside senior industry figures, MP’s and Ministers. During the awards evening, hosted by Janet Street-Porter, the audience of 350 were treated to a performance by African drumming group NESTAC and exclusive films of the shortlisted projects and individuals.
Youth engagement and encouraging cultural diversity were two of the main themes to come out of this year, with winners including Barnet Homes resident Rui Jorge Octavio and West North West Homes Leeds’ Armley Mosque Project shining through in very tough competition.
Rui, 21, winner of Most Outstanding Young Person sponsored by Rixonway Kitchens, was encouraged to organise a young people’s event, titled NUTMEG (New Unique Talented Motivated Energetic Generation), during 2008 Peace Week following the fatal stabbing of a friend. Turning a tragic event into a positive youth outreach programme Rui has continued to expand Nutmeg with over 500 people attending the group’s anniversary event in 2009.
Connaught’s Best Community Initiative category joint winner West North West Homes Leeds’ (WNWHL) Armley Mosque Project was launched as a cohesion scheme to build links with the areas Muslim community through activities such as charity cricket matches and ‘Friday Meals’, where Muslims welcome non-Muslims to the centre to enjoy food together. The activity has led to greater interaction and a huge reduction in ASB in the area.
West North West Homes Leeds’ also had the honour of being the first winner in a brand new category – the Acceleris People’s Choice Award. Acceleris created short films for each finalist in the Awards and asked the ALMO family to vote for their favourite online. ALMOs asked their employees and residents to vote, utilising their own social media communications - resulting in over 3,800 votes in just ten days demonstrating the growing value and power of social communications in the sector.
The awards were judged by an independent panel; Alison Inman, Chair of the National Federation of ALMOs; Michael Gelling, Chairman of the National Tenant Voice; and Roger Jarman, Head of Housing at the Audit Commission.
Alison said: “The awards always command a high standard of entry and this year has been no exception. The creativity, pro-activity and innovation shown by these individuals and teams and, above all, their steadfast commitment to housing and local communities should act as a benchmark for the entire ALMO movement.”
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HABINTEG TAKES A FRESH LOOK AT HOUSING FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS
21 July 2010
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A report, Mind the Step: An estimation of housing need among wheelchair users in England, written by Habinteg and London South Bank University and supported by the Homes and Communities Agency, has been published today.
The majority of homes in England (84%) do not allow someone using a wheelchair to get to and through the front door without difficulty. Only 0.5% of homes are reported to be ‘accessible and adaptable’.
This report presents a national estimate of 78,300 wheelchair user households in housing need (13% of all wheelchair user households) and shows how local authorities can produce need estimates for their area.
Around 55% of households with a wheelchair user are owner-occupiers and 45% are tenants. Despite the shortage of suitable homes, the research reveals that housing associations and local authorities allocate only 22% of vacant wheelchair accessible properties to wheelchair users. The figures highlight an inefficient use of resources and a severe limitation to housing opportunities for disabled people.
Habinteg has produced this report with London South Bank University to inform policy and housing strategy at local and national level and to make recommendations for more effective and efficient allocation, adaptation and design of housing for wheelchair users.
Lynn Watson, Head of Policy and Practice at Habinteg said: "Habinteg wants to see fully accessible and adaptable homes included in all new housing developments as a matter of course.
“Families with disabled children need extra space, young disabled adults are looking to leave home like their peers and good home adaptations can make it possible for many older people to retain their health and independence. Disabled people have the right to be involved in community and social life, education or employment and a well-designed and manageable home is the cornerstone.”
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PM OUTLINES BIG SOCIETY VISION AND FOUR BIG COMMUNITIES
21 July 2010
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David Cameron
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Prime Minister, David Cameron has given more detail on his vision for the Coalition Government’s Big Society agenda by outlining plans for a new Big Society Bank, and announcing the country’s first big society communities in Sutton, Windsor and Maidenhead, Eden Valley in Cumbria and Liverpool.
The bank will ensure that all the money from dormant bank accounts made available to England is put to good use for the benefit of society. By expanding the social investment market place and helping to attract extra private sector investment it is expected that over time the Bank will generate hundreds of millions of pounds for charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to fund social projects across the country, creating opportunities for social action and community involvement.
As a wholesale organisation, the Bank will invest in financial intermediaries in the social investment market, who in turn will increase access to finance for frontline, social organisations.
The PM made the announcement to an audience of volunteers and social enterprise champions in Liverpool at the first in a series of planned Big Society events, alongside the Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Decentralisation Minister Greg Clark.
He also announced the country’s first big society communities in Sutton, Windsor and Maidenhead, Eden Valley in Cumbria and Liverpool itself.
These four areas will now receive targeted and tailored help from the Government to ensure they can overcome bureaucratic barriers and take greater responsibility for the decisions that affect the local area and local people.
Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude said: “This event shows just how much of a difference a stronger society, where people do more for each other, can make. The funds from the dormant bank accounts will enable us to start stimulating activity where there is none and also help existing charities, social enterprises and community organisations to make changes in their local areas.
“This is about a real cultural shift – we know that the era of big government, just tweaking things at the centre of power, didn’t work. We want to build a Big Society where local people feel empowered to bring about the changes they know their communities need and they come together to change the things they care about.”
Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles said: "We are turning Government upside down. Instead of imposing top-down diktats from Whitehall, we are asking people to tell us what they want to do to improve their lives. We will give communities the same support that we Ministers have - people in Government Departments to sort out the bureaucracy that stands in their way.
"No-one knows what's needed in Liverpool, Sutton, Eden Valley and Windsor and Maidenhead better than the people who live there. That is the essence of the Big Society - trusting people to know what needs doing, with Government enabling them instead of getting in their way."
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RIVERSIDE MAKES IT EASIER FOR TENANTS TO KEEP IN TOUCH
21 July 2010
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Riverside has launched a new website to make it even easier for tenants to keep in touch and have their say.
The website was designed by digital agency Mando Group, building on their extensive experience in the housing sector, working with Places for People, Beechwood Ballantyne, Sadeh Lok Housing Group and Plus Housing Group.
Key objectives were to provide a local face for the national organisation, offer improved structure and navigation and provide a new platform for delivering services online.
The site is built using Alterian’s Content Management Corporate, to give Riverside staff plenty of control and flexibility with the site content. It also features improved information architecture created by Mando Group’s consultancy team, allowing both tenant and corporate users to find the information they need quickly without having to trawl through irrelevant information.
Deborah Shackleton, Chief Executive of Riverside said: “I'm delighted with our new website because it will transform the way our tenants and residents access information and services online. It’s more tenant focused and user-friendly than our previous site, with great features like ‘personalise your homepage’ which enables users to receive information most relevant to where they live.”
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SHAPPS OUTLINES PLANS TO HELP STRUGGLING HOMEOWNERS
22 July 2010
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Grant Shapps
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Housing Minister, Grant Shapps has outlined how the Coalition Government will provide much-needed support to homeowners at risk of repossession.
The risk of repossessions remains high - the Council of Mortgage Lenders' latest forecast is that there will be 53,000 repossessions in 2010. Shapps is also stepping up work with partner organisations including Citizens Advice and Shelter to help promote the help available to struggling homeowners.
The Minister also emphasised that the most effective thing the Government is doing to help homeowners is to tackle the record deficit and prevent the need for rapid increases in interest rates. One of Mr Shapps's first tasks since becoming Housing Minister has been to take a fresh look at Communities and Local Government schemes which provide help to homeowners facing difficulty in paying their mortgage, making sure they offer the best deal for them and value for money for taxpayers.
With this in mind, the Mortgage Rescue Scheme will be refocused to delivery better value for money, with a reduction in the grant rate paid to Housing Associations and tighter caps on property price and repair costs.
Using their knowledge of the needs of their communities, councils will help to deliver the scheme alongside their local housing associations to ensure that the scheme is targeted at homeowners who are most likely to benefit from it. The longer term role for the Mortgage Rescue Scheme will be considered through the Spending Review.
Since its launch in April 2009, the Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme has only helped 34 people although research to be published shortly shows that it has had a positive impact on lender forbearance practice and mortgage arrears management. However, given the low administrative costs, the Minister has decided that it will remain in place as a backstop scheme that maybe needed if interest rates rise. It will close as planned at the end of the financial year.
This follows the decision announced in the Budget to move support for mortgage interest paid to a rate that provides better value for money for the taxpayer, by applying the Bank of England published average mortgage rate as the standard interest rate from October.
Grant Shapps said: "The most effective thing the Government can do for homeowners is to tackle the record deficit and avoid the need for rapid increases in interest rates. But there must still be effective help on hand for those struggling to pay their mortgages. So I can confirm that the Mortgage Rescue Scheme and Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme remain available as a last resort to homeowners facing the real threat of repossession.”
Independent Moneysavingexpert, Martin Lewis said: "Mortgage repossession's a catastrophic threat for struggling families, and anything that's done to help them ride it out is crucial. The most important rule is get help as soon as possible - fighting repossession when they're coming for your house is a too late, instead act as soon as you spot the potential for trouble and possible arrears.
"The help at hand means some who qualify will have their mortgage interest paid for them, others will be allowed to postpone paying both through official government scheme and improved lender leniency and a few may have their house part bought.”
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ONE IN 10 COUNCIL HOMES ARE UNDER-OCCUPIED
22 July 2010
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As council house waiting lists approach the two million mark, new figures from HomeSwapper suggest that over 10% of social housing across the UK - more than 436,000 homes - are under-occupied, with one or more rooms being left unused.
In the worst regions this figure rises to almost one quarter of all properties, placing increasing strain on landlords and contributing to ever-expanding waiting lists.
The research, which has been compiled from over 498,000 tenants listed on Homeswapper.co.uk, shows northern towns and cities to be the most affected by under-occupancy with Doncaster, Bassetlaw and Liverpool topping the list with between 20-25 per cent of stock classed as under occupied.
Despite significant overcrowding in the capital, the issue of under-occupied properties affects many parts of London. Barking & Dagenham, Lambeth and Greenwich were found to be the most affected areas, with the 14 per cent of their stock classed as under-occupied.
As a result, thousands of council tenants are living in the wrong sized property for their needs and suffering unnecessarily on council waiting lists. In total the research indentified an estimated 500,000 empty bedrooms across the UK.
The figures have been released as the Government announces new plans to help social housing tenants move to find work and to address the ‘under-occupation’ of large council homes. In response to these findings, HomeSwapper has developed an extensive real-time database of under occupied properties across the UK and can provide landlords with a regular update of the number of tenants living in properties that are too large for their needs.
HomeSwapper’s Head of Communications, Richard Blundell, said: “Under-occupancy is a challenge and an opportunity within social housing. On Homeswapper.co.uk there are 177,218 under-occupied homes with tenants who actively want to move and downsize. So, as the largest provider of mutual exchanges in the UK, we are well placed to work with landlords to identify and tackle under-occupancy.”
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CRISIS WELCOMES BIG SOCIETY
22 July 2010
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Crisis Chief Executive, Leslie Morphy has welcomed Prime Minister, David Cameron's speech laying out his vision for Big Society.
Leslie Morphy, said: "As a charity that benefits from the work of 10,000 volunteers a year and is 90 per cent funded by voluntary donations we know the extraordinary difference ordinary people can make to society, and we are glad that David Cameron has recognised this potential when he talks about the Big Society.
"However, Big Society in isolation is not enough to tackle enormous social problems such as homelessness or poverty. The voluntary sector needs the support, expertise and resources of the state working alongside it to be truly effective in tackling the challenges we face.
"With the rise in VAT and cuts to housing, regeneration and other budgets Government has announced and more cuts on the horizon, charities working with vulnerable people will have to do more with less, making the challenges facing the Big Society even more acute."
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NFA MAKES POWERFUL SUBMISSION ON COMPREHENSIVE SPENDING REVIEW
22 July 2010
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The National Federation of ALMOs has joined key industry bodies, the National Housing Federation and the Chartered Institute of Housing, to make a powerful submission to the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review pressing the case for continued investment in the sector.
Titled Responsible Choices for a Fairer Future, the document argues that ‘continued and sustained investment’ in housing and associated areas is ‘critical’ if Britain is to emerge from the current economic challenges in a stronger position and if the Government is to deliver on its pledge to limit, as far as possible, the impact of spending reductions on the most vulnerable individuals and communities in society.
It highlights how spending on housing generates high economic returns – protecting and creating jobs, offering employment and training opportunities, particularly for young people, improving health and educational outcomes and reducing crime. ALMOs around the country have developed highly successful initiatives in all these areas – and more – delivering ‘quality of life’ benefits into their communities over and above their Decent Homes programmes.
The document strongly argues the case for a self financed future for ALMOs and councils from April 2011 saying that it will help deliver real control and responsibility in the management of council housing.
It says: “Self-financing will give the council housing sector the stability that will enable more effective business planning, better asset management and deliver long-term efficiencies and value for money to the taxpayer.”
It argues that local councils and ALMOs should be responsible for managing their own debt to enable the organisations to adequately plan their investments in the long term. The report also highlights the significant need that remains within social housing, identifying £2.4 billion required for essential home improvement works and another £850million needed to clear the sector’s repairs backlog.
With some 4.5 million people on housing registers and 2.6 million trapped in overcrowded homes, the reports also argues that the need for affordable homes has never been more acute. It recommends that the Government should invest £9.5 billion over the next four years to provide some 150,000 new affordable homes.
The report concludes: “The country faces a difficult period but our organisations are committed to rising to the challenge of tackling the severe housing crisis which impacts the life chances of millions of people and constrains their ability to meet their full potential. We look forward to working with the Government to help deliver economic growth, re-balance the economy and create a fairer society.”
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CONCERN OVER CLOSURE OF SUPPORTING PEOPLE SERVICES
22 July 2010
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Capita Software Services’ Supporting People housing survey, which highlights the sector’s aspirations and concerns for the next 12 months, has found that 74% of respondents are concerned about the closure of services in regards to delivering effective Supporting People services over the next 12 - 18 months.
Over a third (36%) have already experienced a significant reduction in their Supporting People budget since the removal of ring-fenced funding in 2009. However, over 91% believe Supporting People services are integral to and complement other key social agendas with nearly 45% believing that during the next 18 months, Supporting People services will evolve to include adult social care.
Roger Birkinshaw, director of housing, Capita, said: “This survey and our housing conference have been invaluable in providing us with even greater insight into the needs and concerns of all involved in the housing sector. We can’t escape from the fact that painful decisions will have to be made with regard to funding and resourcing but we should also recognise that the sector has so much potential for development and growth which isn’t currently being realised.”
Captia’s housing conference was mediated by the chairman of Building for Life and co-founder of fashion label Red or Dead, Wayne Hemingway. Wayne underlined the importance of considering the ‘livability’ of places and how housing developments should focus on being “citizen-centric” helping to create social sustainability, and this requires economic stability.
Gill Leng, director at GLSH Limited, supported this view by noting how the housing sector is today involved in much more that bricks and mortar; it’s about making a difference to people’s lives.
Domini Gunn, lead housing inspector, The Audit Commission, spoke on the topic of profiling social housing tenants because there is a different type of claimant coming through the system, presenting different aspirations in regard to housing; adding there exists a real opportunity for a good IT solution to map this with customers.
She also touched on the topic of listening to tenants and how comments and complaints should be encouraged as this shows that tenants are confident enough to challenge the service. The sector should use this to drive improvements.
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PLANNING SOCIETY CUTS RED TAPE
22 July 2010
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The Planning Officers Society has risen to the challenge laid down by the new Government and submitted suggestions to cut excessive red tape in national and local government.
In its letter to Eric Pickles, the Society said "We welcome the initiative to reduce the burden of unnecessary regulation, both as part of our ongoing commitment to providing a more efficient and accessible planning service to our customers, and because it could help us in delivering your localism agenda within the tight financial constraints in which we now find ourselves."
Fifteen areas of planning which might benefit from de-regulation have been highlighted in the submission.
Stuart Hylton, who compiled the list for POS, said "This is just the start of the debate. The Society will be looking right across the planning service for other ways of making it more streamlined and accessible".
Stephen Tapper, Society President, said: "we have expressed our willingness to discuss these suggestions with the Secretary of State or with his department if that would prove helpful."
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HOUSING NEWS: INNOVATION ROUND-UP
23 July 2010
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Click the picture to see what is special about this development
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SHAPPS ANNOUNCES ‘RIGHT TO BUILD’ FOR VILLAGES
23 July 2010
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Grant Shapps
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Villages would be able to build new homes without getting planning permission from their local authority if the government's 'Right to Build' proposals come into effect.
The plan is meant to deliver the dual benefits of increasing the amount of affordable homes in rural areas and giving more power to local communities, as mapped out in the Prime Minister, David Cameron's Big Society proposals.
Housing minister, Grant Shapps has said the idea is that small developments of fewer than 20 homes can be built without planning permission but the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has said that the proposal needs a little more thought.
CPRE's head of planning, Fiona Howie, said: "A more democratic approach to house building is welcome as local people should always be given a say in development.
"We are pleased that the government is considering how to protect and enhance rural village life and delivering affordable housing in rural areas will be a critical part of this. However, bypassing the planning process is not the way to deliver it and any proposals should include proper planning scrutiny."
Howie added: "The level and location of development should be informed by a proper assessment of local housing need and an understanding of whether the local environment can accommodate more development. This capacity should be assessed through democratic local plans and not a simple public ballot.
"A central part of the government's wider planning reform proposals is to give local communities a pivotal role in shaping local plans. The government should focus [its] efforts on getting these broader reforms right, so that local communities are truly involved in planning for their area as a whole. This, rather than a new Right to Build, should ensure local people are able to shape future development in their areas."
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NEW HOUSING PACT CALLS FOR PRESERVATION OF STANDARDS FOR TENANTS
23 July 2010
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Sarah Webb
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A new Housing Pact published today calls for the government to prioritise investment in housing, preserve quality standards for all tenants and support reforms that promote mobility.
In return, the Housing Pact promises sector-wide innovation that can help deliver more homes with less public money, give millions of people a better quality of life and tackle poverty.
The Housing Pact, delivered by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and supported by Ocean Media Group, the publishers of Inside Housing magazine, was developed by housing staff, tenants, board members and councillors during the CIH annual conference in June.
It sets out what is needed to tackle the country's worrying housing challenges. It also commits the housing sector to be more innovative in pursuing new partnerships and new ways to deliver affordable homes.
Sarah Webb, CIH Chief Executive, said: "The Housing Pact is a clear message from people with a passionate interest in housing. As a sector we understand the need for spending cuts, but we will not stop fighting for affordable rented housing, fighting for the most vulnerable and working tirelessly to ensure no one is trapped in poverty by their housing.
“There are tough times ahead but I am convinced that by working together we can make a positive and constructive contribution to delivering homes and communities we can all be proud of."
"Ocean Media is pleased to support the Pact and recognises that in these challenging times investment in housing will not only deliver strong communities but will address many of the key issues facing them and contribute to solving the challenges raised by the wider social agenda," said Trevor Barratt, Chief Executive of Ocean Media.
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HOUSE BUILDING REGISTRATIONS FLUCTUATE
23 July 2010
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Imtiaz Farookhi
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The number of registrations to build new homes in the UK dipped during June, according to NHBC, but was still up on the same month last year.
NHBC recorded 9,263 registrations during the month, compared with 10,870 in May this year and 8,305 in June 2009. While individual monthly figures show considerable volatility, the next few months may be pivotal in terms of predicting the path of recovery in new homes supply.
NHBC chief executive, Imtiaz Farookhi said: “Our figures show a drop in registrations during June. It is too early to establish whether this is cause for concern, it may be a sign that the housing market recovery, while not abating, is beginning to plateau short-term.
"In the longer term the demographics of UK population growth and the continuing under-supply of existing housing demand must require the country to build significantly more new homes.
“Shorter term factors such as uncertainty around planning reforms, the economic background and the outlook for employment, together with continuing issues with mortgage availability, may well combine to limit the scope and pace of this much-needed recovery in volume."
NHBC statistics for the rolling quarter April – June 2010 show that private sector registrations were up 50 per cent (at 19,977) when compared with the same period last year (13,328)
Public sector registrations were 10,620 – 28 per cent higher than the same period a year ago (8,309). Registrations in the combined public and private sectors were 41% up on the same period in 2009 (30,597, compared with 21,637).
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REPORT HELPS PAVE THE WAY TO LOW CARBON HOUSING
23 July 2010
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The UK’s aspiration for zero carbon new homes from 2016 moves a step closer with the publication of recommendations on the most appropriate ‘carbon compliance’ tool, assumptions and related regulations - the parts of the carbon compliance regime that together provide the mechanism for testing designs against the zero carbon definition.
The report, Carbon Compliance for Tomorrow’s New Homes, presents the findings from a six-month review of existing compliance modelling tools and their suitability for the future.
The work was carried out by a cross-industry Task Group of experts drawn together by the Zero Carbon Hub and identifies areas where development is needed to ensure the compliance tool will deliver new homes that meet low energy / zero carbon design expectations, and achieve comfortable living standards in a warming world.
With this early identification of challenges that face the compliance process, and by indicating the areas for immediate attention, the Zero Carbon Hub is aiming to ensure that timely decisions can be made by Government with the support of the wider house building sector.
The report recognises that although the current compliance tool (SAP) was developed to assess the efficiency of a ‘typical’ house, the space heating demand predictions for low energy homes were still broadly consistent with the range of models tested.
Areas identified for further development included treatment of overheating, the calculation of hot water use and the role that an assessment regime plays in reducing any gap between design and as built performance.
David Adams, Task Group Chair and Director of the Hub said: “With low energy homes we are moving into a world where space heating no longer dominates the regulated energy use and other demands, such as hot water and potentially cooling, become more significant.
“Furthermore, the implications of a warming climate and decarbonisation of energy will increasingly influence technology choices. Any difference between the design and actual performance would become increasingly apparent. These changes require a fresh look at the carbon compliance regime.
“The wider house building industry needs a clear picture of the future to engender the confidence to invest the necessary time and money to prepare itself for the introduction of low energy / zero carbon homes from 2016. This report identifies a series of important and very timely recommendations to address these issues.”
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NATIONWIDE TO FUND WATES LIVING SPACE HOUSING PFI SCHEMES
23 July 2010
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Wates Living Space is delighted to announce their partnership with Nationwide for future housing PFI schemes.
Nationwide will act as lead funder for each of the housing PFI bids the Wates Living Space team will be taking forward under the upcoming round of PFI schemes currently being processed by the Homes and Communities Agency.
Wates Living Space have previously delivered the highly successful Affinity PFI programme in Reading and have recently been announced as preferred bidder for the Kirklees Excellent Homes for Life Housing PFI scheme.
Dave Poulter, Bid Director for Wates Living Space said: “We are delighted to be working with Nationwide on our PFI schemes. We are working with Nationwide on our current housing PFI bids at both Kirklees and Woking and look forward to developing this strong relationship and successfully delivering future housing PFI schemes.”
Bryce Glover, Nationwide Commercial’s Divisional Director said: “Nationwide is delighted to support Wates Living Space with its plans to continue its impressive track record of developing and providing affordable housing across the UK. This partnership further demonstrates our commitment to lending in this sector.”
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NEWS 
