A new strategy to reignite the housing market and increae the supply of housing was launched on 21st November 2011 by the Prime Minister.
The Housing Strategy sets out a package of reforms to:
- get the housing market moving again
- lay the foundations for a more responsive, effective and stable housing market in the future
- support choice and quality for tenants
- improve environmental standards and design quality.
The new strategy will address concerns across the housing market making it easier to secure mortgages on new homes, improving fairness in social housing and ensuring homes that have been left empty for years are lived in once again.
ACRE Policy Position Papers: Housing
ACRE has complied a number of Policy Position Papers reflecting the issues of importance to rural communities and how our members in RCAN respond to them. The text below summaries ACRE's Housing Policy Position Paper.
'ACRE wants to see thriving communities supported to develop in sustainable ways. A key factor in this is the provision of a suitable mix of affordable housing to enable local people to stay in their community. It is our vision that this will help support local services and facilities and ensure better quality of life for all'.
Affordable housing keeps villages alive
Many villages face a challenging future - with local services under threat as people are priced out of rural communities. ACRE and members of the Rural Community Action Network have contributed to this joint publication Affordable housing keeps villages alive. Led by the National Housing Federation with support from the Commission for Rural Communities and other national rural-focused organisations, it shows how just a few affordable homes on a suitable site can breathe fresh life into a village and ensure local people can stay in their community, whatever their age or circumstances.
The publication aimed at rural communities does what it says on the tin, highlighting many case studies across rural England showing the issues of solutions for people in housing need living in those areas. It dispels some of the myths about affordable housing as well as showing the great benefits brought to people and rural communities when small affordable housing schemes are built.
ACRE is very pleased in the interest from Rural Housing Enablers and others working in rural housing to help distribute copies of the publication to rural communities. We hope that that Affordable housing keeps villages alive - NHF et al, 2010 will help support these crucial housing enabling roles and rural affordable housing in the future.
Concept Statements
This short film shows the development of a Concept Statement by the community of Hartington in the Peak District National Park.
- Most concept statements can be fitted onto two sides of A4 paper.
- Concept statements are a clear expression of the kind of place developments should be creating, not in technical terms but in simple everyday language that everyone can understand
- They are the product of a meaningful debate between the community, developer and the local planning authority, and are a brief explanation of how development should contribute to the local planning authority’s vision.
