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NHF calls for more social housing land ahead of Spring Statement

The National Housing Federation (NHF) has called on the government to make public land available for social housing development, ahead of a Spring Statement expected to be quiet for the housing sector.

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Spring Statement: NHF calls for more land for social housing from Hammond #ukhousing

Philip Hammond, chancellor of the exchequer, will deliver the update on the nation’s finances at around 12.30 today.

The speech is not expected to contain major policy announcements affecting the housing sector and is expected to last around 20 minutes.

Nick Yandle, policy leader at the NHF, said: “We understand the government is keen ‘not to create too many waves’ with the Spring Statement. Nevertheless, it presents a real opportunity to make changes that will help deliver more affordable homes.


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“The government’s recent announcements to overhaul the planning framework and put more money into housing for social rent are welcome. But alone they won’t lead to a radical change in the housing market or in getting people off the streets.

“Ultimately, to build more affordable homes, housing associations need more land to build on. Rather than continuing to sell public land to the highest bidder, the government should use the Spring Statement to make it available for social housing.”

Other housing sector bodies told Inside Housing they were not expecting any major announcements today.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) called for the chancellor to lay out a new vision for housing policy following several announcements in recent months.

Lewis Johnston, parliamentary affairs manager at RICS, said: “What’s been missing [from housing policy] is a comprehensive, honest assessment of what the UK’s housing policy should ultimately be aiming for.

“Do we want to prioritise homeownership? If so, how can we boost affordability, given that numerous studies have shown increasing supply is only part of the answer? And if we can’t return to the levels of homeownership that prevailed 20 years ago, do we accept that and focus on delivering new models of housing to provide everyone with a good-quality, affordable home?

“Government can only develop a proper housing strategy through honest, hard-headed engagement with these key questions, and a clear hierarchy of priorities. It should be bold and ambitious, while acknowledging that it cannot be all things to all people: we can’t have rocketing housing wealth while at the same time improving affordability. We need to choose.”

Today will mark the first ‘Spring Statement’ from the chancellor, with budgets – where spending decisions for the following year are set out – now delivered in the autumn.

At-a-glance: the proposed planning changes

At-a-glance: the proposed planning changes

These are the key changes to the National Planning Policy Framework outlined on 5 March 2018:

  • A shake-up of viability assessments making it harder for developers to negotiate down affordable housing contributions
  • Reform of Section 106 and the Community Infrastructure Levy to make the systems simpler and more standardised
  • Introduction of Housing Delivery Targets forcing councils to oversee delivery of new homes, first proposed in the Housing White Paper
  • Stronger protections for the green belt
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