94% Of Social Housing Providers Demand Improved Housing Policy

Independent research across 100 senior decision makers in social housing shows 94% believe the government needs to improve its housing policy – because present policy leaves them and the communities they serve at risk. Transformation specialist Civica releases the finding in a new report  ‘The Changing Landscape for Social Housing’ prepared in partnership with SOLACE and The CIH. Specifically, senior housing decision makers want policy to focus on a broader range of tenures beyond home ownership (65%) and to reduce or scrap the annual 1% rent cut entirely (49%). Priorities over the next 12 months are identified as the safeguarding of jobs (59%), cutting costs and driving efficiencies (57%), improving customer service and satisfaction (57%) and dealing with changing regulations and reforms (52%). Read more on 24housing.

RTPI: Planning Reforms Are Hampering Housebuilding

More than half of planners surveyed by the Royal Town Planning Institute believe planning reforms have hindered the building of new homes. A report published today by the RTPI called Delivering the value of planning is heavily critical of what it calls the “almost continual changes in planning policy” over the last 30 years.  The report reveals 53% of 420 RTPI members to respond to an online survey think planning changes have hindered housing development, while 73% said they have “hindered their ability to deliver good places”. It said changes to policy, along with local government budget cuts, have limited the ability of planning authorities to ensure more and better development. Download the report from the RTPI website.

Planning Law Change 'Catastrophic' For Rural Areas

Proposed changes to planning policy would be "catastrophic" for rural areas, rural housing and planning authorities are warning. The government wants to scrap the requirement for developers to provide affordable housing on smaller developments. Campaign groups say that supplies of affordable housing would "dry up". The government argues that the change would remove red tape and encourage more house building. Read more on the BBC website.