A diverse assembly of housing leaders and investors gathered to dissect the challenges besetting housing development. This strategic meeting underscores the sector’s complexities.
Discussions focused on housing supply, funding, and place-making, with industry experts presenting solutions to current obstacles.
The Landscape of Housing Challenges
In the North West, a confluence of housing leaders, regeneration specialists, and investors has gathered. The focal point is to navigate the intricate challenges within the housing and regeneration sectors. Discussions are set to unravel issues of housing supply, funding mechanisms, and the integral process of place-making.
Connar McBain from Phoenix articulately outlined the necessity for direct relationships that can nurture patient capital to support housing projects. He notes the vast pools of savings and retirement capital available in the UK, yet a significant portion often ventures abroad. McBain emphasises the need for a robust policy framework and closer proximity to ground-level opportunities to foster local investments.
Addressing Viability and Infrastructure
Phil Mayall from MUSE, English Cities Fund, has opened the debate by spotlighting the major challenge: demonstrating the viability of development schemes. While financing is often available, the complexity of planning and the necessity for bespoke approaches to different locales is a focal point. He critiques the oversimplified narrative that planning hurdles are the primary bottleneck in housing supply.
Mark Robinson, from Rochdale Council, affirms that in the North West, planning is not the predominate issue. Instead, it’s the financial viability and funding of essential infrastructure that prove to be significant roadblocks. Bold strides have been made to release greenbelt land, yet without solid funding strategies, the realisation of these projects teeters on a fulcrum of uncertainty.
Strategic Place-Making and Community Focus
Paul Lakin, representing Bury Council, warns against the danger of sacrificing quality for quantity in housing developments. He advocates for balanced communities, rather than merely achieving numerical targets, and highlights the leverage of transport investment as a catalyst for development.
Lisa Harris of St Helens Council underscores the necessity of terms that attract private investment without compromising local priorities. Strategic collaboration and infrastructure delivery are portrayed as pivotal components in fostering confidence among private stakeholders.
Blackpool’s innovative ‘invest to grow’ strategy, led by Nick Gerrard, prioritises public investment in enterprise zones and tourism to spark interest from the private sector. Despite recent interest rate challenges, this approach aims to create a resilient economic environment capable of sustaining long-term growth.
Holistic Approaches to Regeneration
Mike Reed of Tameside Council proposes a ‘whole place’ approach to enhance locality-centric commercial employment, thereby boosting residential project viability. This strategy, supported by key political figures, aims to elevate local aspirations and income levels, ultimately benefiting the housing sector.
Meanwhile, Aaron Robertson from Salford University highlights the indispensability of long-term planning and alignment of various facets—such as construction capacity and regulatory shifts—required to unleash a housing revolution. His insights provide a national perspective that complements the operational realities faced by local authorities.
Housing Associations and Long-Term Investment
Nick Horne from Wythenshawe Community Housing Group championed the merits of patient investment focused on place-based initiatives. He cites the gradual transformation in Wythenshawe over decades as a testament to collaborative efforts creating an attractive living and working environment.
Helen Spencer of Great Places echoes this, advocating for housing associations as stewards of communities that transcend simple housing provision. Her emphasis is on an integrated approach that fuses physical regeneration with social and economic interventions.
Jacque Allen of Your Housing Group addresses the pressing need to use regeneration as a tool to meet immediate housing demands, pointing to ongoing projects that aim to alleviate homelessness and foster community improvement in the short term.
The Call for Collaborative Solutions
From a collaborative standpoint, Sandy Livingstone of Onward Homes stresses the significance of viewing investments in terms of long-term returns, supported by government backing to assure stability and attract investors.
Connar McBain concludes the discourse by highlighting the flexible shift of pension funds and their potential role in addressing local regeneration challenges. With an eagerness to invest in community projects, institutions like Phoenix are poised to come up with tangible solutions in partnership with local actors.
Conclusion of the Discourse
The dialogue among councils, providers, and investors illuminates a path forward rooted in collaboration and adaptive strategies. With shared insights and a commitment to holistic development, these discussions signal a progressive shift towards overcoming the housing crisis.
Aligning immediate needs with long-term goals remains essential. Through collaboration, innovative strategies in housing development can be realised.
