Return to Agenda

Division(s): N/A

ITEM EX10

EXECUTIVE - 1 JUNE 2004

SOUTH EAST REGIONAL HOUSING STRATEGY

Report by the Head of Sustainable Development

Introduction

  1. The South East Regional Housing Board has published its interim Housing Strategy for 2004/5 – 2005/6. Further to the Ministerial announcement in December 2003 that requires the next round of strategies to be submitted to the ODPM in May 2005, the Board are currently working towards its Regional Housing Strategy 2006 – 2009, the start of which is the preparation of a Green Paper, A Step Forward in Housing, for consultation. The aim of the Green Paper is to seek the views of a range of regional stakeholders on the issues that are key to delivering a decent home for everyone in the South East.

  2. The questions posed in the green paper are set out in Annex 1. The closing date for comments is 11 June 2004.

  3. The Green Paper is a very important first step in formulating the Regional Housing Strategy and covers a wide range of themes, including affordability, key worker housing, sub-regions, housing markets and Growth Areas, rural housing, neighbourhood management and equality and diversity.

  4. This report suggests a formal County Council response on the Green Paper.

    5. Affordability

  5. The option of focussing a greater proportion of funding on the growth areas would be to the detriment of other areas such as Oxfordshire that have acute problems of affordability. Oxfordshire could also lose out if funding is distributed according to areas of highest need, depending on how it is defined. SEERA has expressed the view to the Government that changes to the Right to Buy should be explored, and I consider that this should be supported. In terms of the definition of affordable housing, it should include subsidised social rented and also low cost market housing, shared ownership housing and housing for intermediate rent. This conforms to the definition of affordable housing in the draft Oxfordshire Structure Plan. It is important, however, that all such housing remains affordable in perpetuity.

  6. I think it is doubtful whether, in itself, a substantial increase in overall housing numbers would affect affordability (question 4) as there are many factors involved in addition to supply and demand. Even if it is desirable, there are other implications that would need to be considered, such as transport, provision of infrastructure, and the environment.

    7. Key Workers

  7. There may be a case for defining types of jobs locally that are significant for service provision or sectors of the local economy that are particularly important for that area, which are experiencing recruitment and retention problems due to the cost of housing. The definition may vary from place to place, even within Oxfordshire, and would allow areas more flexibility to meet their needs. Engaging employers more to recognise their responsibilities should be part of the approach. Recruitment and retention problems may not be due to the affordability of housing, but where this is an issue employers should be encouraged to see if they can address this through use of their assets.

  8. A good example of this type of approach is the work of the Key Worker & Housing Ambition Group, a group of local authorities, housing associations and large employers acting under the local aegis of the Oxfordshire Community Partnership. Affordable housing was identified as the OCPs most pressing priority to be tackled up to 2010 and the Ambition Group was established in November 2003 to enable Oxfordshire’s employers to recruit and retain key staff more effectively through the implementation of housing and other measures. The Ambition Group will be commissioning research into the housing needs and demands of key workers in Oxfordshire, the findings of which will inform the development of a detailed action plan. At a local level, local strategic partnerships should lead on defining key workers (question 2).

    9. Sub-Regions, Housing Markets and Growth Areas

  9. Any regional housing strategy should be set in the context of the South East Plan, and it is strange that this is not referred to. There is also a lack of clarity in relation to Housing Market Area research. The guidance recently issued by the ODPM appears to suggest that defining a housing market area should be carried out at local level involving a range of key stakeholders, but it is not clear how this relates to sub-regional and indeed regional research into housing markets, nor indeed to sub-regional work in general. The Housing Strategy needs to address this so all stakeholders and levels of government are clear.

    10. Housing Supply

  10. A significant issue in increasing housing supply in the South East is the development of adequate infrastructure. Local communities often object to new housing developments on the basis that local services and facilities, including transport provision, lag far behind the development of the houses.

  11. The provision and funding of infrastructure should be secured before further housing development takes place.

    12. Rural Housing

  12. The opportunities to secure affordable housing in rural areas through Section 106 agreements are limited and rural exception sites do not provide a significant supply. The options in the Green Paper could help address this issue in Oxfordshire, and redirecting some funding to small towns would be more compatible with planning policies that seek to direct development to settlements that have a range of services and facilities. Larger villages could also be included in this.

    13. Crime

  13. There is no mention of the role that design of new housing and regeneration schemes can play in reducing crime and promoting community safety. Use of the Police ‘Secured by Design’ approach should be encouraged.

    14. Sustainable Construction/Quality Design/Environment

  14. The inclusion of this as an issue is welcome. The aim should be to move towards achieving eco-homes "very good" standard in all new homes. Targets should be set to achieve the standard in conjunction with the South East Plan.

    15. Other General Comments

  15. Overall, the inclusion of such issues such as equality & diversity, construction, supporting innovation and best practice, and skills and training is welcome. This allows housing development in the South East to be seen in its wider sense – there is a danger that it could be perceived that the current housing situation in the South East could be solved through increasing dwelling numbers alone – and this is clearly not the case. Who the new dwellings are for, where they are built and by whom, and how the economic, social and environmental considerations are weighted are equally important.

  16. I consider that this stance should be welcomed and that the same wider view should he encouraged in the preparation of the South East Plan and other strategies.

    17. RECOMMENDATION

  17. The Executive is RECOMMENDED to endorse the comments in the report as the basis for a formal response to the Regional Housing Board Green Paper.

CHRIS COUSINS
Head of Sustainable Development

Background papers: Nil

Contact Officer: Dawn Pettis, telephone 01865 816082

May 2004

Return to TOP