Press release
Monday 23 July
The National Housing Federation, which represents England’s housing associations, has welcomed proposals to build 70,000 social homes a year by 2011 – and says they can be delivered without significantly increasing the nation’s flood risk.
The programme proposed by the Green Paper would deliver 180,000 social homes over the next three years. This is 30,000 less homes than recommended by the Federation, but still a big step in the right direction. It is vital now that the Government puts in place the necessary funding to build them.
National Housing Federation chief executive David Orr said:
On flood plains
“Ministers should be applauded for recognising that there’s simply no way we could tell the thousands of key workers and low income families, desperate for a decent home, that we can’t build any more new homes because of concerns about flood plains. After all, much of the country is a flood plain.
“We need to build new homes while substantially improving our flood defences and drainage systems – and the Environment Agency should veto any new development at serious risk of flooding.”
On housing supply and investment
“We commend the Government for agreeing with us that to solve the nation’s desperate housing crisis we need 70,000 new social homes a year. However, ministers have to put their money where their mouth is and invest sufficiently for the building of these homes."
On environmental standards
“To minimise the impact of new housing on global warming, private developers should be compelled to meet the same tough, environmental standards as housing associations. This would lower CO2 emissions, cut household bills and drive down the cost of green building materials – and help us to minimise flood risk.”
On councils and housing associations delivering new homes
“Councils are welcome partners in the drive to build new homes. But the green paper rightly recognises that housing associations will make the biggest contribution to ending the nation’s social housing shortage. They are not-for-profit, invest all their surpluses back into homes and services, have no competing priorities and have the creation of better neighbourhoods as their only goal. They also match all government investment pound for pound.”
On the new homes agency
“The agency must have a neighbourhood approach, protect the needs of the excluded and recognise the particular requirement for new homes in rural England.”
On supported housing
“It is deeply disappointing that there is no mention of building more supported housing, such as that for older people or people with learning difficulties. This only reinforces our belief that it’s critical that government protects the value of the Supporting People programme.”