Affordable housing has been made the top priority by the South East England Regional Housing Board (RHB), which has recommended Government invests £1.1billion over three years to create homes for people on low incomes.

This amount of investment will aim to create 10,550 new affordable homes each year, with 25% of the rented and 15% of the part rent/ part buy homes having three or more bedrooms as research shows family needs are not currently being met.

The Board this week set out advice for Government on how to invest £1.3 billion in housing in the region for 2008-11 to bring housing priorities in line with the regional vision set out in the 20 year South East Plan.

The remaining £200million of suggested investment includes £30million earmarked for a Regional Infrastructure Fund to finance infrastructure projects that are required before development can take place, recouping the cost from developers later.

Other points highlighted in the review include:

• A 27.5% increase in the number of affordable homes built each year in rural areas.
• £113 million over three years to bring private sector and local authority properties up to the Government's "decent homes" standard.
• Agreement in principle to invest up to £30million over three years in a Brownfield Land Assembly Company, depending on issues of governance and accountability.

Cllr Elizabeth Cartwright, chairman of the RHB said:

"Affordable housing is an issue of the utmost importance in the South East, which is why we have stressed it so strongly in our advice to Government. The South East's rising house prices are making it more difficult for people on lower incomes to get the accommodation they need and require. The proposals we are putting forward to the Minister will help to address this, but the Government needs to invest much more money to resolve this key issue. "

Contacts

Steve Baker, Assembly PR Executive - 01483 555234

Heather Bolton, Assembly Communications Director - 01483 555220

Notes to editors:

Five year breakdown of affordable housing provision planned in the South East:

Full RHB Response - 1.89 MB

1. The Assembly is a partnership of councils and communities in the South East region. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the region, which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire and Surrey.
2. The Assembly is made up of 112 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) as well as the New Forest National Park Authority.
3. The Assembly has six roles:
• Regional Planning
  preparing and delivering the South East Plan
• Regional Housing
  the Regional Housing Board decides housing investment priorities
• Regional Transport
  the Regional Transport Board decides transport investment priorities
• Advocacy
  pressing the South East's interests in London and Brussels
• Accountability
  scrutinising SEEDA's plans and impact
• Alignment
  co-ordinating regional policies and decisions.

Our vision is for a distinctive, outward-looking, accessible region of prosperous, sustainable communities, with a high quality of life and environment.

Last updated: 21 August 2007