Mayors to be given more power to build homes in the UK
Mayors outside of London will be given greater influence over the government’s multi-billion-pound affordable housing programme.
Aimed to bring down record numbers of households stuck on social housing waiting lists, the new programme is expected to deliver at least 60% social rent homes – creating around 180,000 across England including Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and the North East where Mayors are raring to go and deliver.
More councils will also build social housing at a scale not seen in years, receiving millions of pounds to draw up plans this year that will unlock thousands of new council homes.
As part of these plans housing providers will be required to demonstrate how their bids align with local priorities, accelerating delivery of homes that genuinely meet local needs, ranging from specialist housing for older people to community-led projects.
The Housing Secretary and Housing Minister are calling on the sector to be as ambitious as possible in their bids for new grant funding, with the door to bidding officially opening in February, working hand in glove to maximise use of the record investment.
To further ramp up housebuilding, the government is removing barriers preventing councils building at scale. This includes a new route to bid into the Social and Affordable Homes Programme as well as allowing councils to combine Right to Buy receipts from sales with grant funding from next year.
“Families have been trapped in so-called temporary accommodation for years or stuck on council waiting lists with no hope of a secure home,” said Housing Secretary Steve Reed.
“We’re changing that for good with the biggest boost to social housebuilding in a generation and getting behind mayors who are ready to build affordable housing across their regions.
“We’re also backing councils to build again and transform derelict sites into thriving neighbourhoods, urging them to go big, go bold and go build.”
