"It is time to think outside the box and now more than ever councils need help from multiple sources"
Local government shares the collective national ambition to build one million new homes that will only be achieved with strong national and local leadership working together, and which will be crucial during a period of economic uncertainty.
Investment in housing has significant wider benefits and our focus is beyond bricks and mortar. The right homes in the right areas enable people to live healthy and happy lives, build strong, inclusive communities and drive growth in ways that benefit all and prevent public service challenges and costs.
The Local Government Association (LGA) Housing Commission was established to put housing at the centre of our wider aspirations for people and places, supported by a panel of independent expert advisers who have been asked to challenge us and our partners, and to look at how we can be enabled to deliver.
This investigation is not seeking to provide all the answers or to cover all of the issues. Our aim is to look at where there are real opportunities, what councils are already doing, and how we can work with the Government and our partners to make change happen
Richard Connolly, Chief Executive Officer at Rentplus, commented: “These recommendations from the LGA are a breath of fresh air. The housing affordability crisis is endemic across the UK which means councils now need to look to new ways to satisfy growing demand for affordable homes. We are delighted the LGA has recommended that councils should focus on stimulating new building and consider innovative affordable housing products such as rent-to-buy to do so. It is time to think outside the box and now more than ever councils need help from multiple sources. New delivery structures, such as those fully funded by institutional investors, can help councils deliver more housing in their area and provide certainty to underpin housebuilders’ developments. In the post-Brexit aftermath, which has catapulted the UK into a period of uncertainty, this is crucial for boosting confidence in the sector.
Our belief is that mixed tenure communities, offering a range of housing options to suit different needs, including rent-to-buy, are crucial to building a strong and sustainable UK property market. Affordable rent-to-buy homes provide a viable and complementary alternative to traditional rented homes, helping the many people struggling to save for a deposit to buy.”