SOUTH EAST PARTNERS LOOK FOR NEW WAYS TO DELIVER AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS

THE NEED TO SUPPLY MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A CRITICAL ISSUE for South East England; one which can only be delivered on if all the regional partners work together in a collective, effective and integrated manner. This was the message from a recent affordable housing conference in Bracknell, Berkshire.

The conference, "Raising the Game- Delivering more Affordable Housing in the South East", was a joint initiative organised by the South East England Regional Assembly with Warden Housing Association, Pavilion Housing Association, the House Builders' Federation, the National Housing Federation and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

The conference, which brought together over 80 practitioners in the housing industry varying from local authorities to registered social landlords (RSLs) and housing developers, included presentations from Kelvin MacDonald, Director of ROOM and Henry Cleary, Head of the DTLR Affordable Housing Unit which was set up by Lord Falconer in September 2001. Delegates were also given the opportunity to discuss key issues such as planning obligations and funding in a series of workshop sessions.

Mike Gwilliam, Director of Planning and Transport at the Regional Assembly said: "Affordable housing has become a critical issue in the South East and a key one for our members. It is vital that we find new and innovative ways to remove the obstacles to delivering more affordable housing and that we do it quickly.

"This can only be done if all those involved in the affordable housing agenda work together. I am very heartened by the partnership approach which has brought six different partners, each with similar yet independent agendas, together today to produce such a successful and productive event. I hope that we can build on the work started here and produce tangible solutions to the affordable housing crisis which the South East is undergoing."

The Assembly's sentiments were echoed by other partners involved in organising the conference. Sharon Hedges, National Housing Federation Policy Officer for the Southern region, said: "It is vital that new partnerships are developed which will bring all the people who have a stake in this to the table. Only then will we able to come up with new ways of thinking about delivering affordable housing.

"It is also vital that we get more resources to deliver more housing. In addition to increased funding for current rented and homeownership products, we need a new additional funding stream which will allow us to deliver new products to meet the broader range of needs of those who need intermediate housing such as key workers."

Tim Holden, Development Director, Warden Housing Association said: "The 'Raising the Game' seminars are bringing key regional players together to find solutions to overcome the issues which are preventing the development of more affordable housing in the South East. This is a very positive step forward. The seminars are a milestone for the Regional Assembly. They are challenging accepted practices whilst developing a best practice framework which is both inclusive and effective."

Annabel McKie, Head of Development, Pavilion Housing Association said: "It was great to see people from so many different organisations working together. Some really good, original ideas came out of the day. I hope we'll be able to turn these into new initiatives that will lead to more affordable homes in the South East in future."

The recommendations from this conference will be reported to the Assembly's Regional Planning Committee at its next meeting (12 June).

Contact

Lesley van Dijk, PR Executive - 01483 555223

Alex Butlin, PR Executive - 01483 555221

Notes to editors:

1. The Regional Assembly is the “voluntary regional chamber” for the South East. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the South East region which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, and Surrey.
2. The Assembly is made up of 111 members including elected councillors nominated by the region’s local authorities and 37 representatives from other sectors of the community (including business, trades unions, education, housing, health, sports, culture, tourism, faith groups, environmental, community and voluntary organisations).
3. The Assembly has three areas of core business:
1. It is the representative voice of the South East, engaging and representing its member organisations and, through them, the wider public.
2. The Assembly has a specific role under the Regional Development Agencies' Act 1998 to ensure the accountability of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to the region.
3. The Assembly has been the Regional Planning Body for the South East since April 2001. It has responsibility for proposing strategic planning and transport policies to Government.

Last updated: 21 August 2007