The Regional Housing Strategy (RHS) provides an analysis of the North West housing markets. It identifies the strategic housing issues facing the region and sets out a framework for delivering the necessary changes.
It will be used to guide funding allocations from the Regional Housing Pot (RHP) to local authorities and to the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing Programme (see Notes to Editors).
The RHS focuses on the existing housing stock - determining the amount and location of new housing is for the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). A review of the RSS, led by the North West regional Assembly, is currently underway and a draft of a new strategy is due to be published for consultation by the end of the year.
The Regional Housing Board is responsible for the preparation of the RHS, which in addition to informing funding decisions includes wider aspects, for example opportunities for better sharing of good practice and networking.
The RHS published today says that the housing market in the North West is generally robust and capable of meeting the diverse needs of the majority of those living in our region.
However, demand in increasing parts of the region is now pushing up prices to create severe problems of affordability. At the same time there still remain too many areas where the housing stock is unpopular, socially or physically obsolete and unable to meet the modern day needs of communities. Although the reasons are different, the outcome is the same - housing is holding back the economy and contributing to social exclusion.
To address these issues, the RHS sets the following priorities:
- Priority 1: delivering urban renaissance. This means to maximise the positive impact of the four Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders in their broader housing markets; maximise the positive impact of the emerging market restructuring work in West Cumbria and Furness; support cohesive strategic activity to tackle the inappropriate supply of housing in Blackpool and Morecambe currently acting as a drag on local economic regeneration; support cohesive strategic activity to prevent low-demand, tackle inappropriate supply and support Neighbourhood Renewal in other areas at risk of market failure, applying and adapting lessons from the Pathfinders.
- Priority 2: providing affordable homes to maintain balanced communities.
- Priority 3: delivering decent homes in thriving neighbourhoods by improving the condition of housing stock with a sustainable future, as part of broadly based regeneration strategies, particularly in areas of concentrated unfitness and disrepair.
- Priority 4: meeting the needs of communities and providing support for those who need it, by ensuring that action under priorities 1 to 3 contributes to meeting the housing needs of the North West's diverse communities and those individuals needing support, and by encouraging and supporting specialist housing provision to meet community and individual needs via targeted action at a local level.
A copy of the RHS full text is posted on the Board's website.
