www.cohousing.org.uk UKCohousing [email protected]
‘An idea whose time has come’
The National Cohousing Conference 2015
Policy Overview: Housing
Navigating the housing policy terrain…
• Pro-Growth- Housing Bill
• Devolution Deals
• Policy developments on the horizon relevant to cohousing.
The Housing Bill
• Duty placed on local authorities to promote starter homes (scrapping requirement to build/fund affordable/rental homes often levered through Section 106- currently 37%)
• Requirement on local authorities to keep a register of demand for self build, and to have regard for supporting self build
• Extension of Right to Buy to housing associations – voluntary agreement subject to regulatory oversight
• Automatic planning permission on Brownfield land
• Levy on local authorities who are required to sell high value properties that become vacant
• Pay to Stay for higher income tenants of housing associations introduced
• Local authorities must have local plans in place by 2017 or be subject to ‘intervention’
Devolution
• New regional development plans
• Regional devolved investment & housing funding
• Delegated planning powers
• Imperative potential contribution of DIY citizen housing is identified with strategic support by emerging combined authorities/LEP’s.
• Reducing capacity of HCA (caveat regional variation could be an outcome)
Other housing policy areas to be aware of :
• Empty homes funding – currently rolled into Affordable Homes Grant. New pot?
• Expansion of permitted use development rights.
• Comprehensive Spending Review 25th November - £20 billion new savings to be announced.
• Specific programmes & policy to develop innovative housing solutions to meet needs of elderly.
• Capital loan programmes to support home ownership/starter homes.
• Increasing numbers of housing associations developing shared home ownership.