by Paul O'Brien
Friday 23 March 2007
Mark Bramah launched our proposals on housing today at our annual construction and housing conference in Leeds.
These are built around the principle that APSE wants to move the debate beyond 2010 to establish Social Housing within a wider neighbourhood regeneration policy that is forward thinking, meets needs and breaks free of the current stale debate on funding. Key points are:-
- Establish a credible wider ranging successor to the 'decent home standard' a new environmentally sustainable 'decent neighbourhoods standard', completed by 2020
- Ensure that new Social Housing policy has a built in flexibility that ensures its relevance in not only North and South but also encompasses the variability within regions
- Create a neutrality in funding options that gives equity to local authorities whatever route they choose to manage their Social Housing by
- Encourage local authorities to build affordable, secure social housing again in order to meet demand and needs of the 1.6m on waiting lists
- Social housing should be viewed as a quality, affordable option for all, not a safety net or starter for some.
