Tag: Department for Levelling Up

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 1 March 2024.

Cash injection announced to turbocharge regeneration and kick-start new housing schemes.

More homes will be built and regeneration turbocharged in the north of England under a transformational package announced today by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove at Convention of the North.

The £208 million cash injection will fund a range of projects across towns and cities, whilst Northern leaders will receive new powers to further unlock the potential of the area and deliver the promise in the Levelling Up White Paper to level the playing field by spreading opportunities.

In Blackpool, £90m will be used to build new homes and renovate low-quality properties not currently fit for people to live in as part of a major regeneration scheme led by Homes England and Blackpool Town Council. It will see around hundreds of homes made available overall and disused brownfield land brought back into life in a boost for the town.

The town has already received more than £100 million of levelling up funding since 2019 and investment to unlock the major £300 million Blackpool Central development scheme. The town is further benefitting from the devolution deal for Lancashire announced at the Autumn Statement last year, putting more power in the hands of local leaders and allowing them to take ownership of the Adult Education Budget to shape local skills provision across Lancashire.

In Sheffield, the government is supporting the city’s overarching ambition to deliver 20,000 new homes through £67 million of Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land funding by Homes England. This funding will be used to secure brownfield land on two city centre sites capable of delivering more than 1,300 new homes and over 4,000 square miles of new commercial or community floorspace.

The investment will complement existing funding through the Brownfield Housing Fund to transform a former brewery into 550 new homes and Levelling Up Fund investment in new leisure facilities at Parkwood Springs urban country park.

Liverpool will receive £31m to support a range of regeneration projects. This includes significant investment to develop Grade A office space and new laboratory facilities at Paddington Village in the Knowledge Quarter, as well as support for community asset Greatie Market to provide further opportunities for traders.

The transformational package comes as part of the government’s plan to level up communities and empower local leaders to deliver the long-term change our country needs and improve economic security and opportunity for everyone.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, speaking at the Convention of the North, said:

Today is the day the North truly takes back control. Today, at this Convention, we inaugurate the biggest transfer of power and resources to the North in living memory.

We all know that the divisions in our society – economic, social, educational – are best bridged by empowering local leaders and local communities to determine the futures of the places where they live and the towns and cities that they love. And that is why today – at this Convention of the North – together – we are bringing about a power surge for the North.

Blackburn with Darwen will see a cash injection of £20 million through a Levelling Up Partnership – a tailored plan which sees the government work with local leaders and businesses to target investment and address the unique challenges and opportunities in each place. The area is one of 20 in England most in need of levelling up which will benefit and is modelled on successful partnerships with Grimsby, Blackpool and Blyth.

The investment will be used to transform heritage buildings into modern, cultural venues and creative spaces including King George’s Hall, Imperial Mill and The Cotton Exchange. The funding will be used to help preserve the much-loved Tony’s Ballroom’s place in Northern Soul music history whilst providing a new arts venue to bring communities together, with some of the funding also being used to invest into cyber skills to prepare young people for opportunities for the future.

Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, Councillor Phil Riley, said:

We’ve embraced the opportunity to be a Government Levelling Up Partner and for months we’ve worked together to develop a strong investment package to support our town centre growth priorities.

To be awarded £20m today is fantastic news and adds to the investment we’ve already secured through Levelling Up initiatives.

The projects we are focused on will bring real change – this is Levelling Up in action – and we thank Government for their vote of confidence in Blackburn with Darwen.

In Leeds, the government is working with the council and the mayoral combined authority to lever in investment for new housing and new enterprises in Mabgate, the Innovation Arc, Holbeck, West End Riverside, Eastside and Hunslet Riverside and on the Southbank. The government is also working closely with the Royal Armouries and moving to secure and bring into public ownership a site for British Library North at Temple Works and has met with the poet laureate on the exciting plans for the UK’s National Poetry Centre in Leeds.

Deeper ‘Level 4’ devolution agreements have also been agreed with West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the Liverpool City Region and progressing an agreement with Tees Valley to unlock these powers in future once local leaders are agreed.

The Level 4 devolution agreements with West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the Liverpool City Region will hand leaders control over adult skills provision, local transport funding, the potential for delivery of net zero funding and control over the Affordable Homes Programme from 2026 in their areas in partnership with Homes England.

These areas will be handed a consolidated single pot for local growth, housing and regeneration funding at the next multi-year Spending Review. This will serve as a stepping-stone to a full departmental-style settlement at the subsequent multi-year Spending Review.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

Devolution is already working for West Yorkshire, with cheaper buses on our roads, more police officers on our streets, and more decisions being taken outside of Westminster and closer to the people they affect.

This new deal is our next step toward deeper devolution and a single cash settlement from the Treasury, so that the people of West Yorkshire can have the first and final say over how their funding is spent.

Gone are the days of cap-in-hand or pork-barrel politics – devolution is the green shoot of hope for our communities, helping us build a brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.

This is a great next step, and we look forward to working with Government on the detail and making it a reality that works for our West Yorkshire partnership.

Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire, said:

A level four devolution deal is a welcome next step on our devolution journey in South Yorkshire and is the product of months of partnership working between us and government.

The package of measures announced today will allow us to take back more control over how we spend money on things like transport and housing.

But my ambition is for South Yorkshire to go further and faster. Today’s announcement lays the groundwork for a full single settlement funding deal in the future, and business rate retention, so that we can have greater freedoms and flexibilities to invest in projects that we know will make the biggest impact across our communities.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said:

The granting of new powers shows that the Liverpool City Region is among the country’s leading and most successful areas in delivering on the promise of devolution. I will be using them to continue to improving public transport; attracting new jobs and investment; and building a greener, fairer region that goes from strength to strength.

While we’re willing to take whatever new powers and funding become available, we believe that those new powers we have secured still only scratch the surface of what areas like ours could achieve with true devolution. As soon as possible, we deserve at least the same powers and single funding settlements as trailblazer areas. Today’s announcement demonstrates the distance we have already travelled but we still have to work to deliver on the extraordinary potential of our area and our people.

The government is also keen to make progress on discussions with Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness, as well as Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland, over future devolution deals.

The government has today announced further details of West Yorkshire’s HealthTech-focussed Investment Zone. This will invest £50m to accelerate capital projects in Bradford, Huddersfield, and in Leeds. A further £25m of the funding will be used to give businesses the support they need to grow and local people the skills they need to take advantage of the over 7,000 new high-quality jobs being created in the region because of the Investment Zone. The government will work with West Yorkshire to confirm their delivery arrangements, ahead of releasing funding.

The announcement strengthens the government’s commitment to levelling up towns and cities in the North and ensuring local leaders have the powers needed to make the most of future opportunities.

It builds on the commitment to the area demonstrated by the Prime Minister who held regional cabinet for the first time earlier this week in East Yorkshire, and follows on from the announcement that £4.7 billion of reallocated HS2 funding would be invested into the North and Midlands through the Local Transport Fund to improve local connections.

Further information:

• The £208 million figure is comprised of £90m for Blackpool, £67m for Sheffield, £31m for Liverpool and £20m for Blackburn with Darwen.
• The £20 million Levelling Up Partnership for Blackburn with Darwen is being provided subject to final business case.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 28 February 2024.

Nearly £220 million given to councils across the country to help deliver over 800 homes for rough sleepers and help prevent families from becoming homeless.

Hundreds of families will be prevented from becoming homeless and rough sleepers will be helped off the streets thanks to over £220 million of government funding being given to councils today.

The Minister for Housing and Homelessness Felicity Buchan has announced the funding boost which targets areas most in need and includes specialist support for the most vulnerable who require mental health or substance misuse support.

Further funding includes:

• £107 million to provide more than 800 homes for rough sleepers. The money is being made available immediately to councils to purchase or rent properties to give rough sleepers a safe space to stay whilst they rebuild their lives off the streets.
• A £109 million boost to the Homelessness Prevention Grant, the funding can be used by councils to prevent evictions before they occur or fund temporary accommodation. Bringing the total fund to £1.2 billion, with more than 160,000 people supported since the scheme opened in 2022.
• A further £6 million to boost the number off-street spaces for rough sleepers in winter, to provide warm and safe places to sleep and access services.

This brings total government investment to £2.4 billion over three years (2022-25) to tackle homelessness and end rough sleeping for good.

Minister for Housing and Homelessness Felicity Buchan said:

We are working alongside councils and charities to do all we can to help rough sleepers off the streets and to prevent homelessness.

Today’s announcement brings the total funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping to an unprecedented £2.4 billion, meaning we can help thousands of the most vulnerable people and give them the support they need to rebuild their lives.

The councils receiving additional funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping include:

• London boroughs will receive a combined £38 million for extra homes, beds and specialist mental health and substance misuse services for rough sleepers.
• Sheffield City Council will be given over £3 million which will include providing 10 properties for those with a history of rough sleeping.
• City of Liverpool will receive over £2 million to deliver 20 homes for single homeless young people to help them live independently to prevent a repeating cycle of homelessness.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has partnered with councils to design tailored support for the issues in their area.

Government departments are working hand-in-hand with the homelessness sector and its partners in local government to tackle homelessness, including:

• Delivering 6,000 homes through the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme giving stable, long-term accommodation to those sleeping rough.
• Introducing the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant has helped over 10,600 vulnerable people access the help they need.
• Providing accommodation for Ex-Offenders programme which has supported 2,750 ex-offenders into their own homes in the private rented sector.

Today’s funding boost builds on the Government’s strategy to tackle homelessness and end rough sleeping for good.

Further information

City of Liverpool YMCA

YMCA Together have be given over £2 million to deliver 20 homes for single homeless young people across Liverpool. The funding will enable young people to move on to more independent living, equipped and empowered with the tools to prevent a repeating cycle of homelessness.

Jon Metcalf (Deputy Chief Exec City of Liverpool YMCA ):

We’re delighted with the announcement of SHAP funding in Liverpool which will enable us to create much needed homes for younger people experiencing homelessness and together with support that we will be able to provide we aim to help people develop their social capital so that they’re able to navigate safely through a challenging time in their lives.

• The Homelessness Code of Guidance is being updated to make it explicit that temporary accommodation should not be considered suitable for a family with children under two if there is not enough space for a cot and that housing authorities should support families to secure a cot where needed. This will help to ensure families can follow safer sleeping guidance and help prevent avoidable infant deaths.
• The StreetLink campaign is now running which enables members of the public to alert local council outreach workers if they see someone sleeping rough. Investment from government has made it simpler than ever for people to support a person sleeping rough off the streets and into safe accommodation.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 20 February 2024.

Minister Lee Rowley met council chiefs to discuss action against building owners who are failing to fix medium and high-rise buildings with safety issues.

This week, the Minister for Housing and Building Safety, Lee Rowley, convened a round table of council chief executives to discuss the action they are taking against building owners who are failing to fix medium and high-rise buildings with known building safety issues in their area.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has provided over £8 million in funding to councils to boost enforcement teams. The Minister pressed councils to explain how this funding is being used to force rogue building owners to act.

The meeting follows successful legal action the Government, leaseholders and councils have taken in recent months against building owners to make sure vital safety work is carried out. The Government is playing its part, and the Minister stressed the vital role of councils in making sure building owners fix their unsafe buildings.

Minister for Building Safety Lee Rowley said:

Councils and fire and rescue services play a crucial role in making sure dangerous buildings get fixed when building owners are stalling. Lots of councils are already doing great work in this area but all councils need to take the appropriate action to protect residents and make sure those responsible for making homes safe do so without any further delay.

The warning to owners refusing fix their buildings is clear: get on with remediation or action will be taken against you.

Government legal action has forced Grey GR, a subsidiary of RailPen – an organisation that has failed to remediate a substantial number of buildings – to fix building safety issues at Galbraith House in Birmingham within 3 weeks, despite having known about the building safety defects for six years. The government is taking enforcement action covering six further Grey GR buildings with trials set to take place this year.

In addition to Grey GR, Wallace Estates, which has consistently failed to fix building safety defects, has now accepted remediation orders brought by the Government covering four buildings. This provides much-needed certainty for approximately 400 leaseholders by committing the company to dates for the completion of work.

This January the First-tier Tribunal issued a remediation order against Wallace Estates, following an application by leaseholders in Croydon. Wallace Estates were ordered to fix their unsafe building by May 2025, and were criticised for not acting fast enough to remediate defects they knew were present. In all five orders issued under the Building Safety Act to date, the First-tier Tribunal has ordered building owners to get on with fixing, or paying to fix, their unsafe buildings.

Today, council leaders discussed action they are taking using legal powers, including hearing from representatives from Newham Council who have prosecuted a building owner for delays in removing dangerous cladding – a significant step forward in the fight to protect residents from unsafe cladding.

Where remediation is not progressing, building owners should expect to face robust enforcement action from regulators – including councils – with the full support of Government behind them. This commitment is underlined in the Government’s joint statement with building safety bodies on enforcing the remediation of fire safety defects.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 14 February 2024.

£50m of new investment over the next two years to unlock new homes and improve the quality of life for existing residents through estate regeneration in London.

As part of major package to deliver much needed homes in cities across the UK, the Government has announced a £50 million investment to regenerate London estates, £4m to explore maximum ambition housing delivery around Euston, and £125m to unlock three major brownfield sites in East and South London.

The new investment will be made available to existing estate regeneration schemes that carry the support of local communities. This funding is on top of the £1 billion allocated in the capital through the Government’s Affordable Homes Programme which can now, be used to support the regeneration of old social housing estates so that residents have homes that are safe, decent, warm and secure.

Secretary of State for Housing Michael Gove said:

“Today we set out a major package of measures to make sure we have the homes that this country needs. London is at the heart of this approach.

“The investment we are making to deliver new homes through estate regeneration, support the massive potential of strategic sites like Euston, and deliver major brownfield sites in partnership with private housebuilders, will keep the dream of home ownership alive for Londoners.”

In addition to the new multi-million-pound investment in London’s existing estates, and investment into three major brownfield sites, the Government is working closely with the London Borough of Camden and has committed an initial £4 million to establish a Euston Housing Delivery Group.

The Euston Housing Delivery Group will explore maximum ambition housing regeneration in a new ‘Euston Quarter’, including working to:

• Assess the scale of housing opportunity beyond the existing Euston station site.
• Identify the infrastructure, services, and green space required to unlock maximum housing delivery.
• Consider how these housing opportunities can be delivered across Euston, working closely with the Department for Transport, the Euston Partnership and the London Borough of Camden.

Andrea Ruckstuhl CEO Europe, Lendlease said:

“A Euston Housing Delivery Group is a very positive step forwards as there is clearly enormous potential for the delivery of new homes there and the regeneration of an area that we believe can become one of Europe’s leading centres for innovation and life sciences.

“We look forward to continued close working with DLUHC, the London Borough of Camden, the Department for Transport, and local partners and communities to help those aspirations become reality.”

We are also announcing £125 million loan funding supporting 8,000 homes in Newham and Southwark through a major regeneration investment.

Communities in the London boroughs of Newham and Southwark are to benefit from thousands of new homes across three major brownfield regeneration projects.

Reflecting the strong need in London for affordable homes, 40 per cent of the new homes on two of the sites, which have planning permission, are to be genuinely affordable for local people. The first homes should be ready in 2027 alongside retail and leisure facilities.

Significant new infrastructure will be built including utilities, green landscaping, on-site highways, bridges and other transport links.

In a further boost to housebuilding in the capital, the government intends to legislate when parliamentary time allows to remove the block on Homes England’s ability to deliver in London.

All of these measures support the Government’s long-term plan for housing and its commitment to a Brownfield-first approach.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 13 February 2024.

Big city councils must prioritise brownfield development, building new homes in right places and protecting the Green Belt.

Building homes on brownfield land will be turbocharged under a major shake-up to planning rules to boost housebuilding while protecting the Green Belt.

As part of its long-term plan for housing, the government has announced today (13 February 2024) that every council in England will be told that they will need to prioritise brownfield developments and instructed to be less bureaucratic and more flexible in applying policies that halt housebuilding on brownfield land.

The bar for refusing brownfield plans will also be made much higher for those big city councils who are failing to hit their locally agreed housebuilding targets. Planning authorities in England’s 20 largest cities and towns will be made to follow a ‘brownfield presumption’, if housebuilding drops below expected levels. This will make it easier to get permission to build on previously developed brownfield sites, helping more young families to find a home.

The raft of policy measures announced today show the government taking immediate action on its long-term plan for housing, which will deliver homes in the areas that need and want them the most – such as in big cities, where there is the highest demand and existing infrastructure to support new development. The focus on brownfield land and urban development is part of the government’s plan to take a common sense to delivering the housing that is needed, protect the countryside and Green Belt.

In this Parliament the government has delivered the highest number of new homes in a year for three decades. These reforms will further support developers aiming to undertake major regeneration on brownfield sites,  giving them more certainty by ensuring their plans are not unnecessarily blocked or held up by red tape. Analysis published today as part of the London Plan Review shows that new brownfield presumption in the capital could potentially result in up to 11,500 additional homes per year. And by extending the reforms across the country, more homes will be unlocked than if action had been taken in London alone.

A consultation on these proposals launched today (13 February) and will run until Tuesday 26 March, and the government will look to implement these changes to national planning policy as soon as possible.

The government plans to introduce these changes in London as a result of poor housing delivery in the capital, putting rocket boosters under brownfield regeneration projects.

The government is also helping developers overcome tiresome bureaucracy by slashing red tape that stops derelict sites and unused buildings being turned into new homes. Legislation laid in Parliament today will extend current permitted development rights, so that commercial buildings of any size will have the freedom to be converted into new homes – this means shops, offices, and other buildings all quickly repurposed, resulting in thousands of quality new homes by 2030.

Millions of homeowners will also be empowered to extend their homes outwards and upwards, as the government is today launching a consultation on proposals that would see more new extensions or large loft conversions freed from the arduous process of receiving planning permission.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

We pledged to build the right homes in the right places – protecting our precious countryside and building more in urban areas where demand is highest. Today’s package is us delivering on that.

We are sticking to our plan and are on track to meet our commitment to deliver one million homes over the course of this Parliament, and the changes announced today will deliver the right mix of homes across England.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove said:

Today marks another important step forward in our Long-Term Plan for Housing, taking a brownfield first approach to deliver thousands of new homes where people want to live and work, without concreting over the countryside.

Our new brownfield presumption will tackle under delivery in our key towns and cities – where new homes are most needed to support jobs and drive growth.

In a major intervention before Christmas, Secretary of State Michael Gove asked Christopher Katkowski KC to lead a review of the London Plan – in light of consistent disappointing housing delivery in the capital. Today the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has published Katkowski’s review which recommended a presumption in favour of brownfield development.

However, to tackle development in the country’s other large cities and towns, the government is proposing to apply this presumption to all of the 20 most populous urban areas where development has fallen below acceptable levels. This new approach will put rocket boosters under brownfield regenerations projects across the country and provide the new homes the country needs, without affecting existing protections including for residential gardens, and ensuring protection for the character of suburban neighbourhoods.

Christopher Katkowski KC, Lead Reviewer of the London Plan said:

I am delighted to see the idea which I together with my colleagues on the London Plan Review came up with of a planning policy presumption in favour of delivering new homes on brownfield sites being taken forward on a wider scale as part of a suggested change to the NPPF. The inspiration for the brownfield presumption came from the NPPF in the first place and so it is good to see the idea being brought back to its roots as an additional lever to encourage the delivery of new homes. I see this as a worthwhile and welcome change.

Further information

• National Planning Policy Framework currently provides for a presumption in favour of sustainable development to be applied to a local authority where it scores below 75% in the Housing Delivery Test. The government is proposing that, for the twenty urban uplift areas, this presumption should be applied for applications on previously developed land (brownfield land) where an area scores below 95%.
• The London Plan Review indicates that if a brownfield presumption in London resulted an acceleration of decisions to a rate in line with the next four largest cities or returned residential applications to the pre-London Plan approval rate and the rates of net additions previously achieved from those approvals, there could be between 4,000 and 11,500 additional homes per year in the capital.
• We are already on track to meet the manifesto commitment to build one million homes over this Parliament. The government have delivered over 2.5 million more homes since 2010, including almost 696,000 affordable homes and supported over 876,000 households into home ownership. This Parliament we have delivered the highest number of new homes in over three decades, helping create the highest number of first-time buyers in single year in two decades.
• Between 1997 and 2010, average housing delivery was over 170,000 a year. Since 2019, we have delivered over 233,000 new homes a year on average.

Further quotes:

Mark Allan, Chief Executive, Landsec

Landsec has been campaigning to unlock more economic growth, more homes and more jobs by refocusing national planning policy on the opportunities provided by brownfield urban regeneration. The emphasis on maximising housing development in urban areas set out today means that we can seize some of those opportunities, deliver more homes and secure better outcomes for cities and the people who live there.

David Thomas, Chief Executive, Barratt Developments

We welcome any efforts to make it easier to get planning permission, particularly for brownfield regeneration which is already naturally a more complicated and capital-intensive process. Industry and local and national government need to work together to find ways of delivering more new homes more quickly, including on previously developed land, and this is a positive step.

Simon Carter, Chief Executive, British Land

Today’s announcement is another important step towards unlocking the potential of brownfield urban regeneration. British Land has consistently advocated for practical, deliverable planning reform which prioritises brownfield development, accelerates the pace of housing delivery and helps to secure long-term sustainable growth, by intensifying development in urban areas where it is needed most.

Baroness O’Neill of Bexley said:

London needs more housing and I welcome the government’s focus of ensuring we see more homes on brownfield sites. Our communities rightly want to see greenbelt and parks protected from development and that means we have to concentrate on regenerating existing brownfield land.

Nicholas Boys Smith, Interim Chair, Office for Place said:

It’s right to focus development wherever possible within existing towns and places. More intense streets can be good for places, for the prosperity of local business and for the weight with which we collectively tread upon the planet. Any step, such as this one, which encourages brownfield and infill development is welcome. I would encourage all local councils to put in place clear, visual and robust design codes, as required by the new Levelling Up and Regeneration Act, to ensure that new development makes old places better.

Minister for London, Greg Hands said:

Maximising the potential of brownfield sites is a proven catalyst to create thousands more homes in London, helping people secure the homes they need whilst protecting our precious green belt and regenerating our high streets.

Prioritising these sites is vital to the government’s plan for housing and will deliver new homes for the people of London.

Stephen Teagle, Chief Executive, Countryside Partnerships, Vistry Group said:

There is an urgent need to address the crisis of a long-term undersupply of new homes and these changes, making the best use of urban brownfield land and supporting pragmatic determination of planning applications, is key so that we can get building.  We stand ready to deliver new mixed tenure homes and communities to provide the most basic of human need – a safe and secure home.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 12 February 2024.

The expansion of government-backed loan scheme will support thousands of new homes.

20,000 new affordable homes will be built across the country, helping more people realise the dream of owning their own home, thanks to a £3 billion increase in a government-backed loan fund opening today (12 February 2024).

The expansion of the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme, which provides low-cost loans to housing providers, will support thousands of new homes. For the first time, the scheme can also be used to upgrade existing properties, making them warm and decent for tenants.

Providers will be able to apply for loans to carry out vital building safety works, such as the removal of dangerous cladding.

Backed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the now £6 billion fund will help housing providers access low-cost loans so they can expand their business, build more affordable homes and upgrade their existing stock.

Housing Minister Lee Rowley said:

We know getting cost-effective loans can be a stumbling block for many developers building more affordable homes or upgrading their existing stock, so it is of the quality tenants deserve.

This new round opening today will not only improve the lives of those already living in homes, but help thousands of families benefit from new, high-quality, affordable housing.

Launched in 2020, the scheme, delivered by ARA Venn, is already helping 12 providers to deliver 6,290 new homes, with thousands more to be built in the coming years.

Among the beneficiaries of the scheme is Watford Community Housing. They first accessed the scheme back in November 2021 and it helped them build 200 new homes, including the firm’s first modular development.

As part of a second funding application made in December, they are set to build a further 100 affordable homes.

Watford Community Housing Deputy Chief Executive Paul Richmond said:

We were delighted to work with ARA Venn for a second time under the current Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme. The funding represents excellent value for the sector and offers best value for fixed rate debt for our organisation.

The benefit of using the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme in terms of pricing over our 30-year plan is worth nearly 100 additional homes being delivered into our local community. This has significant commercial benefit to us but more importantly has a direct impact on the wider need to build more housing across the country.

Richard Green, Portfolio Manager for AHGS20 and Partner at ARA Venn said:

We are delighted that we will be able to provide low-cost loans to private registered providers across England to now facilitate investment in existing homes, in addition to new ones.

We look forward to continuing and building on the success of the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme, that has already proved a key source of funding for the sector.

This timely expansion of the scheme allows us to support the sector’s balancing of investment priorities between providing new homes and ensuring the quality and energy efficiency of existing homes.

The government is making good progress and is on track to meet its manifesto commitment to build 1 million homes this Parliament and the target to deliver 300,000 homes a year remains. This work is being supported by £10 billion investment to boost housing supply since the start of this Parliament. This is alongside the £11.5 billion affordable homes programme, which will unlock £38 billion in additional private investment.

Further information

The Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme 2020 provides low-cost, flexible and long-term loans to help fund investment in new and existing affordable homes across England, including those for social rent, affordable rent and shared ownership.

As part of the scheme, providers will be able to apply for loans to help make homes fit for the future. These energy upgrades, such as solar panels, could potentially save tenants hundreds of pounds on their energy.

The loans are funded by a capital markets bond programme that has the benefit of a guarantee from the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities.

Eligible registered providers who would like further information about the scheme, the scheme rules, and how to apply should contact ARA Venn at ahgs@ara-venn.com

ARA Venn is part of ESR Group, who have managed the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme 2020 since its launch in 2020.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 7 February 2024.

The North East of England will soon enjoy the economic benefits of a £1.4bn investment as legislation is laid in Parliament to implement a new devolution deal.

The reforms will provide a directly elected mayor for seven local authority areas across the North East with the first election taking place in May 2024. It will result in new powers and major new funding for the region, including the largest investment fund of any of the deals announced since the Levelling Up White Paper’s publication in February 2022.

Over 30 years, £1.4 billion will help to level up all seven local authorities in the North East; Northumberland, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland and County Durham. Today’s legislation also establishes them as a new combined authority which will have control of up to £563 million to shape and improve local rail and bus services.

It will give greater power to local leaders by allowing them to shape adult education provision in a way that meets the needs of business and the community while allowing them to kick start regeneration by supporting the construction of affordable homes on brownfield sites.

Minister for Levelling Up, Jacob Young, said:

Today is an important milestone for communities across the North East as their landmark devolution deal moves one step closer to becoming a reality.

The reason we’re so excited for this to get over the line is because a major part of levelling up is giving local people, who know their areas best, the levers and money they need to improve their areas. That’s exactly what this deal does – from Sedgefield to the Scottish Border – providing new decision-making powers, billions in funding and a new mayor who can champion their area on behalf of the two million who live there.

The political leaders of the seven councils and North of Tyne Combined Authority said in a joint statement:

It‘s exciting that the devolution deal we secured is now moving through Parliament. It’s an important final step before the formation of our new combined authority.

As a group of leaders we are working together already to put plans into place to deliver for our residents, businesses and communities. That collaboration means we will hit the ground running and deliver results for the people of this region.

The new powers and funding we negotiated will mean important decisions about our region will be made here, in the North East. This is set to be a transformative year for the North East.

The region boasts long standing sector strengths in advanced manufacturing and clean energy which continues to grow. Aligned to the arc of innovation – running from Northumberland down to Sunderland and Durham, with opportunities along the Tyne corridor – the devolution deal will empower the region and its people by giving them more control, money and opportunities to improve their communities.

This devolution deal is part of a plan to bring long-term change, delivering a brighter future for Britain and the North East of England, improving economic security and opportunity for everyone.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• The Order implementing the North East devolution deal and establishing the new mayoral combined authority is subject to Parliamentary approval before it can come into force.
• The North East Mayoral Combined Authority will replace the existing North of Tyne Mayoral Combined Authority and the non-mayoral North East Combined Authority.
• The City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) Programme is a five-year £5.7 billion government investment in the local transport networks of eight key city regions in England from 2022/23 to 2026/27. The programme provides eligible Mayoral Combined Authorities with integrated and long-term funding model that allows elected leaders to drive forward their public and sustainable transport priorities.
• The North East will receive £17.4 million to support and accelerate the building of new homes on brownfield land, as well as £20 million to level up and kick start regeneration.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 6 February 2024.

Social housing staff will be upskilled to deliver high quality and professional services for tenants in response to evidence heard at the Grenfell Inquiry.

Social housing tenants will receive a fairer and better service from their housing provider, under new plans unveiled by the Government today.

Through new standards set by Government, providers will need to arm their staff with the skills, experience and knowledge to deliver the excellent service that tenants want and deserve.

This comes after a recent survey of social housing residents showed that a quarter were not satisfied that their landlord listens to their views and acts upon them, while a third of the Severe Maladministration findings from the Ombudsman related to poor complaint handling from landlords.

Unacceptable behaviour will be rooted out as part of a cultural overhaul, with social landlords instructed to adopt strict code of conducts that set out how all staff should perform and act towards tenants.

Minister for Social Housing, Baroness Scott said:

Time and again we have seen tenants ignored, dismissed or not taken seriously. Our new competence and conduct standard sends a clear message to social landlords to treat tenants with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Our landmark Social Housing Act is introducing life-changing reforms – giving tenants a louder voice to challenge their landlord and this will allow us to go further, making sure staff are properly trained and qualified to deliver homes that are safe, warm and decent.

Evidence heard at the Grenfell Tower Inquiry exposed the concerning truth that residents did not always receive an acceptable service and were often treated with a lack of respect by members of staff.

Work to address these grievances is already underway as senior managers and executives will have their skills scrutinised closely under stricter measures and they must work towards required qualifications, with all existing staff enrolled within two years under proposed new timescales.

This could include a Chartered Institute of Housing Level 4 certificate, a Level 5 Housing Diploma or in some cases a foundation degree in housing studies.

Gavin Smart, CEO Chartered Institute of Housing said:

We welcome the government’s support for professionalism in the sector, with a focus on competency and conduct, including mandating qualifications for key senior roles. Qualifications are an effective way of ensuring professionals have the required knowledge and skills. But professionalism is more than a qualification; it’s about following a code of conduct and ethics, and displaying the right behaviours, attitudes, and empathy.

The Social Housing (Regulation) Act is now law, meaning the Regulator of Social Housing will have greater authority to undertake more vigorous inspections of providers, and those failing to comply could lose out on future funding under the Affordable Homes Programme.

As part of wider reforms in response to the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, Awaab’s Law will set strict time limits for landlords and force them to quickly fix dangerous, including damp and mould, identified in people’s homes – with emergency hazards to be repaired within 24 hours.

But the Government recognises there is more to do to improve quality social housing. That is why the Social Housing Quality Resident Panel will be extended to April 2025, bringing together around 250 residents to represent tenants’ views on forthcoming reforms.

A new competence and conduct standard is the latest step in addressing systemic issues identified following the Grenfell Tower fire – not just the safety and quality of social housing but how tenants are treated by their landlords.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 30 January 2024.

Those who commit anti-social behaviour to face a ban of up to 5 years. People with closest connections to the UK and their local areas to be favoured.

An overhaul of how social housing is allocated, to make the system fairer and not available to those who abuse it, was announced by the government today (30 January 2024).

Measures which could ban those who blight communities and repeatedly make their neighbours’ lives hell through anti-social behaviour or evict them through a ‘three strikes and you’re out’ policy, are part of the new consultation.

At the same time, new measures will prioritise households who have a close connection to the UK and their local area.

Housing Minister Lee Rowley said:

Today we are proposing further steps to make the allocation of social housing fairer for people. If you abuse the system, making peoples’ lives a misery or actively work against our British values, you are making a choice – such choices will have consequences and our proposals seek to stop such people getting a social home.

The message is clear: play by the rules, pay in and we will support you. If you choose not to, this country is not going to be a soft touch.

The public want to know decent and hardworking people that have contributed to this country will be prioritised for new social tenancies. People already living in social homes want to know that anyone moving near them will be respectful of their neighbours with their communities protected from those who persistently break the law.

That is why it is right that the finite resource of social housing is allocated fairly and local law-abiding citizens in need have more access to a home in their own communities.

The government is seeking views from the public, councils, social housing tenants and providers and wants to bring forward the reforms as soon as possible.

The reforms include new UK and local connection tests to determine social housing eligibility, with applicants required to demonstrate a connection to the UK for at least 10 years and their local area for at least 2 years. Prospective tenants on higher incomes could also no longer qualify for social housing, although existing tenants will not be affected.

As part of the reforms, people who have unspent convictions for certain criminal anti-social behaviour or have been subject to certain civil sanctions could be disqualified from social housing for up to 5 years.

This sits alongside measures which could disqualify terrorist offenders from benefiting from social housing.

Changes will be delivered by secondary legislation at the earliest opportunity.

The proposals build on the significant reforms already introduced by the government to improve the quality and quantity of the country’s social housing stock. This includes the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, under which the powers of the Regulator of Social Housing to hold poorly performing landlords to account have been strengthened and social housing residents’ access to redress has been improved due to new powers for the Housing Ombudsman.

This sits alongside the £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme, helping to deliver more of the affordable, quality homes this country needs, which will unlock a further £38 billion in public and private investment in affordable housing. It builds on the government’s record since 2010 – with over 696,000 new affordable homes delivered, including over 172,000 for social rent.

Access to most social housing is managed by local housing authorities, who only allocate homes to people who are eligible and who qualify.

These proposed new national requirements will provide greater consistency for social housing applicants and local housing authorities, ultimately providing a fairer overall service.

Further information

The consultation will run until 26 March and can be accessed via an online survey.

The policy proposals set out in the consultation apply to the social rented sector in England and will inform changes to secondary legislation regarding eligibility and qualification criteria under Part 6 of the Housing Act 1996. We are not proposing to change the rules or guidance on reasonable and additional preference that local housing authorities follow to prioritise allocations.

The income test will set out a maximum household income threshold, which if exceeded, would mean households would not qualify for social housing. This will only apply to applicants and have no impact on existing tenants.

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 30 January 2024.

Those who commit anti-social behaviour to face a ban of up to 5 years. People with closest connections to the UK and their local areas to be favoured.

An overhaul of how social housing is allocated, to make the system fairer and not available to those who abuse it, was announced by the government today (30 January 2024).

Measures which could ban those who blight communities and repeatedly make their neighbours’ lives hell through anti-social behaviour or evict them through a ‘three strikes and you’re out’ policy, are part of the new consultation.

At the same time, new measures will prioritise households who have a close connection to the UK and their local area.

Housing Minister Lee Rowley said:

Today we are proposing further steps to make the allocation of social housing fairer for people. If you abuse the system, making peoples’ lives a misery or actively work against our British values, you are making a choice – such choices will have consequences and our proposals seek to stop such people getting a social home.

The message is clear: play by the rules, pay in and we will support you. If you choose not to, this country is not going to be a soft touch.

The public want to know decent and hardworking people that have contributed to this country will be prioritised for new social tenancies. People already living in social homes want to know that anyone moving near them will be respectful of their neighbours with their communities protected from those who persistently break the law.

That is why it is right that the finite resource of social housing is allocated fairly and local law-abiding citizens in need have more access to a home in their own communities.

The government is seeking views from the public, councils, social housing tenants and providers and wants to bring forward the reforms as soon as possible.

The reforms include new UK and local connection tests to determine social housing eligibility, with applicants required to demonstrate a connection to the UK for at least 10 years and their local area for at least 2 years. Prospective tenants on higher incomes could also no longer qualify for social housing, although existing tenants will not be affected.

As part of the reforms, people who have unspent convictions for certain criminal anti-social behaviour or have been subject to certain civil sanctions could be disqualified from social housing for up to 5 years.

This sits alongside measures which could disqualify terrorist offenders from benefiting from social housing.

Changes will be delivered by secondary legislation at the earliest opportunity.

The proposals build on the significant reforms already introduced by the government to improve the quality and quantity of the country’s social housing stock. This includes the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, under which the powers of the Regulator of Social Housing to hold poorly performing landlords to account have been strengthened and social housing residents’ access to redress has been improved due to new powers for the Housing Ombudsman.

This sits alongside the £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme, helping to deliver more of the affordable, quality homes this country needs, which will unlock a further £38 billion in public and private investment in affordable housing. It builds on the government’s record since 2010 – with over 696,000 new affordable homes delivered, including over 172,000 for social rent.

Access to most social housing is managed by local housing authorities, who only allocate homes to people who are eligible and who qualify.

These proposed new national requirements will provide greater consistency for social housing applicants and local housing authorities, ultimately providing a fairer overall service.

Further information

The consultation will run until 26 March and can be accessed via an online survey.

The policy proposals set out in the consultation apply to the social rented sector in England and will inform changes to secondary legislation regarding eligibility and qualification criteria under Part 6 of the Housing Act 1996. We are not proposing to change the rules or guidance on reasonable and additional preference that local housing authorities follow to prioritise allocations.

The income test will set out a maximum household income threshold, which if exceeded, would mean households would not qualify for social housing. This will only apply to applicants and have no impact on existing tenants.