Families in desperate need of housing will benefit from a boost to regional mayors that will help ensure the right type of homes are built in their local area
Families in desperate need of housing will benefit from a boost to mayors that will help ensure the right type of homes are built in their local area.
Regional mayors will for the first time be given greater influence to tell housebuilders whether more homes for the elderly, high-rise flats, or council homes are needed in their community.
Mayors of six regions have today been informed of suggested spending budgets from the Government’s historic £39billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme.
It will allow mayors – alongside Homes England – to draw up vital housing plans for their areas which will help guide housing providers’ when they make official bids for funding in February.
Housing Secretary Steve Reed hauled in social and affordable housing providers last month to encourage them to make ambitious bids for money in the programme.
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Speaking to the Mirror last night, he said: “With thousands stuck on housing waiting lists, record numbers sleeping rough on our streets, and too many children growing up without a secure home – there can be no more excuses. It’s time to stop the rot for good. That’s why I say we must build, baby, build.
“That means building social homes at a scale not seen in many years and it means stripping away the barriers to do exactly that.
“It means empowering people, including our great mayors and great councils, by putting them firmly in control of what types of homes get built.
“They know their areas best and are uniquely placed to know what will work to meet the needs of local people.”
Under the suggested spending plans, Greater Manchester is likely to get the highest budget at £1.8billion, while the West Midlands will get £1.6bn, the North East £1.1bn and West Yorkshire £1bn. Liverpool City Region and
South Yorkshire would each get £700million.
These figures are indicative to allow mayors to start making plans in advance and any official bids could mean more cash is spent in their area.
Indicative spending budgets have only been released for the six most well established authorities, but cash will be shared across the country. Some £11.7bn over a ten-year period has already been allocated to London.
Sarah Elliott, chief executive at Shelter, said: “Families across the country are being priced out of their homes and communities by eye-watering private rents because there are too few genuinely affordable social rent homes available.
“Many are pushed into shoddy temporary accommodation or spend decades on social housing waiting lists, with the dream of a safe and secure home too far out of reach.
“It’s good to see investment, now the government must deliver and go further. It must set an overall target for social rent delivery to ensure private developers are also building their fair share of social homes, and to ramp up to 90,000 a year for ten years. This is the number needed to end homelessness for good.”