[KF] Twenty-five years ago Lord Richard Best coordinated the Duke of Edinburgh's Inquiry into British Housing. It is perhaps apt that he chaired the recent (June) three-day Consultation convened by BSHF to address the issue of the Future of Housing: Rethinking the UK housing system for the twenty-first century.
The report that presents the findings of this Consultation, which was attended by a wide range of experienced housing practitioners and academics, has just been published.
In addressing the UK Housing system, participants at the Consultation addressed three fundamental questions:
Where are we now?
Key failings are identified, including the negative impact of the housing system on the wider UK economy and the increasing unaffordability of housing for many people.
Other problems listed include the unsuitability of the housing stock to meet current and future needs, failure to meet acute housing need and the failure of the housing stock to respond to changes in demand.
Where do we want to be?
The agreed list of what the housing system should achieve includes a decent home for all that is affordable, a decent neighbourhood to live in and a housing stock that is fit for the future.
The list also includes - recognition of housing as a system.
How can we get there?
In accepting the need for further examination of the housing system, the Consultation identified eight key areas for attention and which would form the basis of such a systemic review:
A large number of detailed options for improvement of the UK housing system were discussed at the consultation. The report lists these under seven headings:
Over 75 detailed options are given attention and collective views from the Consultation are included. Given that participants had only three days to cover a such wide range of issues, it was not possible to give each the in-depth examination needed. However, the product of the exercise provides a platform for further wider discussion and suggestions for future changes in policy.
The report can be downloaded for free from the BSHF website at www.bshf.org/ukhpp.
Improving the UK Housing System
In accepting the need for further examination of the housing system, the Consultation identified eight key areas for attention.