The Government published its response to English Partnerships’ recommendations on policies to coordinate the redevelopment of brownfield land across England.
Formal adoption of the recommendations, announced by Under Secretary of State Iain Wright MP, paves the way for implementation of the first ever National Brownfield Strategy for England, designed to re-use over 52,000 hectares of previously developed, vacant or derelict land in support of Government ambitions to build 3 million new homes by 2020. At least 60% of the homes will be on brownfield sites, protecting greenfield land and contributing to general wellbeing by tackling derelict, blighted land within existing communities.
The National Brownfield Strategy recognises that many brownfield sites are difficult to deal with and a total of nine policy strands will be implemented across four parallel strands between now and 2013:
Campbell Tickell consultants were appointed by the Housing Corporation in conjunction with eight housing associations, the London boroughs and ten participating city councils, to conduct a feasibility study into a national mobility scheme.
The study is part of the strategy to tackling mobility and overcrowding. The eight housing associations, the Housing Corporation and the private charitable trust the Joseph Rowntree Foundation have all pledged financial support for the project.
The purpose of the study is to research the need for a national mobility scheme, create a range of options for how such a scheme may work and assess the likely demand from social tenants and buy-in of social landlords.
The study will seek the views of both tenants and landlords, review current strategies and look at how to build on best practice going forward. Its final report is due by the end of July 2008.
Christian homelessness charity Housing Justice launched a new project, which will enable churches to create affordable homes from redundant church land and property across England.
The project, which the Charity has named Faith in Affordable Housing, aims to reconcile the dilemma faced by many churches - balancing social objectives such as valuing everyone, justice for the poor and morality before wealth - with the pragmatic objectives of meeting the duties of trustees and maximising investment returns to keep ministry running.
Project workers will gather together technical information on what is required to release land and redundant properties for use as affordable housing to provide a one stop advice service for churches thinking about using their assets for affordable housing.
A listing of church assets which have already been developed as affordable housing, or have the potential for such use, will also be compiled. Through sharing good practice and showing what can be done, Housing Justice hopes to inspire church leaders to turn unused assets into homes.
As a first stage, researchers will be approaching the different Christian denominations throughout England to encourage them to participate in this piece of practical and action-oriented research.
An up-to-date, accessible and informative guide aimed at Christian Church financial bodies in England will be produced by the end of 2008.
The project responds to the Affordable Rural Housing Commission and the Building and Social Housing Foundation recommended that churches give careful consideration to how church land or redundant property can be used to provide affordable housing and an income for the Church.
A similar project, Make it Happen, run by the Scottish Churches Housing Action, has provided 400 homes in 23 local authorities across Scotland within two years of the publication of its guide.
