Delivering affordable homes in a changing world: Ensuring councils can meet local housing need

Planning deregulation reduces local authorities’ ability to secure affordable homes as homelessness rises

• New report finds that 63% of 141 UK councils describe their need for affordable homes as ‘severe’ and a further 35% describe their need as ‘moderate’.
• Homelessness levels are rising with 70% of 124 councils in England stating that statutory homelessness levels in their local authority area had increased over the past 12 months and only one in ten councils stating it had decreased.
• One in three councils in England stated that permitted development would have a negative impact (that they would be able to build less affordable homes) whereas 4% of 109 councils stated it would have a positive impact on meeting the need for affordable housing

A report published today by the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) – ‘Delivering affordable homes in a changing world: Ensuring councils can meet local housing need’ researched and written by the TCPA - finds that a lack of investment in genuine affordable housing alongside deregulation of planning is reducing local authorities’ ability to secure the homes the nation needs

The research shines a stark spotlight on the desperate housing crisis experienced across the country with 98% of councils identifying their need for affordable housing as either severe or moderate. Over two thirds of councils in England state that statutory homelessness levels have increased in their local area in the past 12 months and 57% state that rough sleeping has also increased during this period.

You can read more about this report by cliking here.

The full report is available to download for free. To purchase a hard copy, please complete the form below.

For further information, please contact Mo Baines at APSE on 0161 772 1810 or email [email protected]

Download Research (pdf)