The housing crisis isn’t about numbers, behind every number is a human need

There is no doubt that the UK faces a housing crisis. We live on a small island with a growing population and we need to double the number of new housing starts from approximately 125,000 a year to 250,000 if we’re to have any hope of keeping-up with demand. I have no doubt that, in… Read more

Written by Doug Hall | Posted on 16th April 2015

Doug Hall is a director of 3mc; a specialist mortgage provider within the buy-to-let sector. 3mc have been established for over 15 years working with lenders, mortgage intermediaries and the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) providing all types of buy-to-let mortgage solutions. During 2014, 3mc will expect to place in excess of £1.7 billion in mortgage enquiries

Website: http://www.rlamortgages.co.uk/

We have enough brownfield land to build a million new homes

Some may be surprised that the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) agrees we need to boost the supply of housing in England – in both town and country. Even before the dramatic decline in housebuilding triggered by the recession, we were building far too few affordable homes. Between 1950 and 1980, more than 100,000… Read more

Written by Neil Sinden | Posted on 10th April 2015

Neil Sinden is Director of Policy and Campaigns at the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). He was previously Head of Policy and Research at the urban regeneration charity ROOM (now part of the RTPI), managing the Government-funded Positive Planning Project. He has also worked for the arts and environment charity Common Ground. He is a member of the Rural Advisory Group of the Homes and Communities Agency and a trustee of Civic Voice. Neil has an MPhil in Town Planning and a BSc (First Class) in Rural Environment Studies. He is a keen cyclist and lives with his family in east London.

Website: http://www.cpre.org.uk/

Young people need affordable, accessible housing – to rent or buy

Twenty five years ago, almost one third of first time home buyers were aged under 25. Today, 16% of first time buyers are under 25. The stark reality of that figure, reported by the CIH, is this: More homes are becoming overcrowded due to house shares, where tenants are paying rents equivalent to half their… Read more

Written by Maria Soleil | Posted on 8th April 2015

Maria is 25 and looking to buy her first home in the next year. She manages digital communications for mhs homes, the largest landlord in Kent

Website: http://www.mhs.org.uk

Are we missing unlocked opportunities in abandoned buildings?

Never has an issue been so widely felt and yet so difficult to define. What is the housing crisis? Is it soaring house prices or rising homelessness? Overcrowded families or twenty somethings who can’t get on the housing ladder? If we can define what we mean by the housing crisis, and our solutions, then our… Read more

Written by Rob Hunter | Posted on 7th April 2015

Rob Hunter is Policy and Research Analyst in the Business Improvement Team at whg.

Website: http://www.whg.uk.com/main.cfm

Our aging population needs homes designed to support us as we get older

Your home is the foundation for your life, whatever age you are. Whichever way you look at it health and financial stability are intrinsically linked with living in a home you can afford and that meets your individual needs. The UK’s housing crisis is not simply caused by a lack of homes, but also by… Read more

Written by Andy Patchitt | Posted on 7th April 2015

Andy Patchitt is Development and New Business Manager for Keystone Developments. The company was formed in 2001 as a member of Longhurst Group to focus on the growing market in retirement living and deliver quality homes designed for life. Operating in more than 45 local authority areas across the Midlands and East of England, Longhurst Group own and manage over 18,300 homes.

Website: https://www.keystonedevelopments.co.uk/

More faith in the planning profession is needed to end the housing crisis

Northern Ireland has a population of 1.84 million, we are a dispersed population with 37% living in rural areas, we have by far the highest incidence of fuel poverty in the UK, about 40% of mortgages are in negative equity and over 22,414 households are experiencing some level of housing stress. According to housing growth… Read more

Written by Claire Williamson | Posted on 3rd April 2015

Northern Ireland Policy Officer at the Royal Town Planning Institute. Claire has been working as RTPI NI Policy Officer since January 2012 and has been heavily involved in the consultation process surrounding planning reform in Northern Ireland. Claire has gained a wealth of experience in a a variety of sectors including retail, commercial, education, rural and residential over the past 15 years. She also lectures on a part time basis at Ulster University in Planning and Property Development.

Website: http://www.rtpi.org.uk/the-rtpi-near-you/rtpi-northern-ireland/

Countdown to the General Election: what’s next for Homes for Britain

Over 2,000 people attended the Homes for Britain Rally on March 17. It felt like a moment where the whole housing sector and beyond called time on the housing crisis. What next? Our hope is to turn the moment at the Rally into a movement for lasting change. On 8 April, the next phase of… Read more

Written by John Pierce | Posted on 2nd April 2015

John is the public engagement lead on the Homes for Britain campaign

Website: https://homesforbritain.org.uk

Is Scotland leading the way on homelessness?

Scotland has been hailed internationally for leading the way in homelessness legislation.  With the historic ending of priority need in 2012 all people in Scotland who are found unintentionally homeless are entitled to settled accommodation if they have a local connection.  Official statistics show homelessness applications falling year on year, in contrast with other parts… Read more

Written by Beth Reid | Posted on 2nd April 2015

Beth Reid is Policy Manager for Scotland at Crisis, working to influence homelessness policy and practice across Scotland.

Website: http://www.crisis.org.uk/

The housing crisis isn’t a question of supply vs regeneration – we need both

The housing soundbite is supply. Politicians fall over themselves to argue for more and more housing numbers which don’t work everywhere. The housing crisis in Blackburn, Margate and Stoke is very different to that inside the M25. This is not a North versus South issue. It’s far more complicated than that. It is an issue… Read more

Written by Steve Close | Posted on 1st April 2015

Steve Close is Chief Executive of the Together Housing Group

Website: http://www.togetherhousing.co.uk/

Public needs to understand the national, social, economic importance of housing

All of us tend to want to see the world in simple terms. And indeed simplicity is absolutely key to getting clear and compelling messages across to the public and politicians not just about why housing matters… but also what needs to change. And herein lies the problem. Life just isn’t that simple. The recent… Read more

Written by Boris Worrall | Posted on 25th March 2015

Boris Worrall is Executive Director of Futures at Orbit, a 38,000 home housing organisation

Website: http://www.orbit.org.uk/