ROOF Blog

Great Places housing group manager Jon Snape will be on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, London on Sunday morning with a message about affordable housing. He was picked at random to take part in Anthony Gormley’s One & Other project and plans to dress in pyjamas, and give away breakfast while wearing a message that says ‘everyone deserves a great place to wake up in’.

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has said private developers, local councils and housing associations must work better together to manage land supply more efficiently to boost the supply of affordable housing. It argues that a poor grasp of land economics, an over reliance on section 106 agreements and an aversion to risk is hindering the provision of land, and added that housing organisations must invest in skills to value land, assess a project’s viability and negotiate better.

A panel has been set up to ensure that new homes meet the needs of an increasingly ageing population. The housing our ageing population panel for innovation comprises of architects and specialists who will research good practice across Europe that will create housing for older people and improve the availability and choice of sustainable homes and neighbourhoods.

The Institute for Public Policy Research, which has been researching housing allocation for the Equalities Commission since last year, has concluded that Gordon Brown’s pledge to provide more social housing for local people is ‘flawed’ and could open up councils to legal challenge. Its unpublished interim report notes that there was no evidence that allocation policies discriminate against white groups and there was only a small amount of evidence that some policies unintentionally discriminate against minority ethnic communities, but the perception otherwise could trigger legal challenges against local authorities by those who feel unfairly treated.

John Healey has revealed that the government plans to withdraw backing for the open market homebuy scheme, saying he wants to concentrate on new build home ownership schemes instead. The homebuy scheme has so far helped more than 14,000 people onto the property ladder and plans to close it have angered housing associations who administer the schemes.

Housing associations could face higher loan repayments and reduced access to funds as a result of tougher banking rules, housing experts fear. The Financial Services Authority wants lenders to hold higher levels of capital and liquid assets in reserve, and this may push up interest payments across social housing as loan agreements allow lenders to pass the costs of additional regulation to their customers, and with ‘virtually all’ of the sector’s loans having the clause, costs for associations are likely to be impacted.

Two housing associations have merged to create one of the UK’s largest housing groups with more than 30,000 homes across the South and South West. Sovereign housing group and Wessex housing partnership became the first group amalgamation since the Tenant Services Authority was formed.

John Healey is expected to announce details of a consultation to allow councils to keep the proceeds of council house sales and the revenue from rent, after revealing last night that he would ‘dismantle’ the current council housing finance system. Under the current system the money is returned to the Treasury where it is reallocated to local authorities based on housing need.

Optimism in the construction industry is at its highest level since the start of the credit crunch in August 2007, a survey of purchasing managers has found. The index from the Chartered Institute for Purchasing and Supply is still at an historically low level, but has been slowly rising since its trough in July 2008. An analyst said it appeared that house builders are returning to new construction as finished and part-completed stock had run out.

The government’s £285 million mortgage rescue scheme has helped just two families since it was launched in January. The scheme, where homeowners can sell part or all of their homes to housing associations and rent them back, was expected to help up to 6,000 households stave off repossession. A spokesperson from Communities and Local Government said the slow progress in rolling out the measures and the length of time between applications and receiving the help had meant that it was only now the first of many cases were coming through. CLG added that a further 450 applications were currently being considered.