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Home > Regional Housing
Strategy > Defining regional needs and
priorities
Defining regional needs and priorities
This is the heart of the strategy, setting out the key needs and
thus the priorities for the region as a whole. To have real impact
on the issues we outline here, we need to influence a much wider
range of activity and intervention than can possibly be funded from
the single housing pot. So this section identifies priorities for
action, but not just those funded through this strategy, indeed
not just those requiring capital investment. It also identifies
priorities for influencing or educating partners, for example on
design, which may not involve extra expenditure, but will help deliver
the vision.
Details of the allocation of the single housing pot will be based
upon an analysis of both the regional priorities set out in the
strategy and the availability of other sources of funds and mechanisms
to help tackle those priorities. We have included here the Board's
priorities for the use of that part of the single housing pot we
are able to direct in 2004/05 and 2005/06.
The Regional Housing Statement detailed a number of aims and strategic
objectives for the region, but did not seek to place those in any
order of importance. The Communities Plan (p.60) requires that we
now take that step forward, to form the basis for the Board's advice
to Ministers on strategic housing investment priorities for the
North West.
Over the next few pages, we set out the North West's strategic
priorities for housing intervention, in descending order of priority.
But in considering the priorities for the North West, the Board
have also identified three themes which cut across all of the priorities,
and which they expect to be reflected in the action carried out
by partners in the region.
1. Housing and community cohesion
The Board are committed to achieving social inclusion, and are
concerned by evidence that concentrations of people from one ethnic
background in certain areas, and their separation from other groups
living in adjacent areas, has contributed significantly to inter-community
tensions and conflict. For example, the Oldham Independent Review's
housing chapter begins "As we comment repeatedly in this
report, the segregated nature of society in Oldham is at the heart
of the town's problems, and that begins with housing."
People's housing choices may contribute to the concentration of
people from ethnic background in particular localities. This is
not in itself a problem, and there are many examples of successful
communities with high concentrations of residents from one ethnic
background. But in some parts of the region, a variety of black
and minority ethnic communities are concentrated in poor quality
private housing and impoverished members of the white community
on social housing estates. Lack of interaction, partly as a result
of physical segregation, may lead to fear and mistrust, multiplied
as segregated housing leads to segregated schooling and leisure
activities. Raising standards and ensuring equality of opportunity
in terms of quality of housing, education and skills, health, and
access to employment can then become ever more difficult to achieve.
Resentment can build as area-based regeneration programmes are perceived
to have unfairly favoured other groups.
The pattern of economic and social disadvantage facing the region's
black and minority ethnic communities means that many 'mainstream'
regeneration strategies and programmes aim to tackle these problems
as part of broad-based packages of interventions. Housing action
must play a part within these programmes, and should also be included
as part of broader sub-regional consideration of the impact of intervention
and investment in delivering successful regeneration. Therefore,
in tackling the priorities set out in this document, the Board will
seek to build integrated communities across social, racial and faith
divides, by meeting the housing needs and aspirations of all different
parts of the community.
The Board intends to closely monitor investment programmes to ensure
this objective is delivered.
2. Housing and neighbourhood renewal
Similarly, action based on the Regional Housing Strategy's priorities
should fit into a context of neighbourhood renewal action on a much
broader basis. This will vary according to local circumstances,
but might include improving education, health and other public services,
enhancing employment and economic opportunities, introducing proactive
neighbourhood management, tackling anti-social behaviour, improving
environmental quality and design, and ensuring good public transport
services. The Board see the neighbourhood renewal approach, requiring
all aspects affecting the potential progress of a community to be
considered and tackled together, as being relevant to urban and
rural communities both within and beyond the currently designated
Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) areas. Twenty one of the eighty
eight authorities designated are in the North West, more than any
other region.
The Government's vision, set out in the National Strategy for Neighbourhood
Renewal , is that within 10 to 20 years, no-one should be seriously
disadvantaged by where they live. The vision is reflected in two
long-term goals:
- In all the poorest neighbourhoods, to have common goals of lower
worklessness and crime, and better health, skills, housing and
physical environment.
- To narrow the gap on these measures between the most deprived
neighbourhoods and the rest of the country.
Accordingly, in addressing the priorities set out in this document,
the Board expect their investment to contribute to the achievement
of the vision and goals of the National Strategy for Neighbourhood
Renewal.
3. Sustainability, quality and design
Sustainable development encompasses economic growth, environmental
protection/enhancement and social inclusion. The regional housing
strategy seeks to complement sustainable patterns of spatial development
and physical change as set out in Regional Planning Guidance and
the economic development framework set out in the Regional Economic
Strategy . As such all three documents will contribute to the delivery
of the Regional Sustainable Development Framework "Action for
Sustainability" .
The linkages between sustainability and housing are varied and important.
They include issues such as the energy efficient design of homes,
providing affordable warmth, and thus tackling fuel poverty and
a variety of health issues. The quality of design and architecture
is crucial to achieving sustainability in terms of providing places
people want to live in ('liveability' is the jargon term). One of
the contributing factors driving many of the region's low demand
areas is the poor quality of the built environment, of which housing
is one component. More environmentally aware methods of construction
are also important, and the potential benefits in terms of quality,
design, speed and cost of construction of non-traditional approaches
are considerable - indeed the Housing Corporation are now committed
to delivering 25% of their programmes using modern methods of construction.
Another aspect is the impact intelligent design can have on the
ability of new or remodelled homes to respond to changing needs.
The Board are also keen to encourage the adoption of 'Lifetime Homes'
standards, both in new build and renovation projects. Most of these
standards can be achieved at minimal cost, but offer significant
benefits in terms of the quality, flexibility and accessibility
of homes to their current and future occupants.
In different forms, the concept of sustainable development runs
throughout the strategy. In tackling the priorities set out in
this document, the Board will expect their investment to respect
the principles of sustainable development and reflect and develop
best practice in design and quality.
Priorities for the North West
With the cross-cutting themes in mind, we now set out the North
West's strategic priorities for housing intervention. Also indicated
in each section are the priorities for strategic investment of the
flexible single housing pot resources available to the Board. Both
are in descending order of priority. We identify outcomes expected
both from the overall strategic approach and from the investment
of single housing pot resources. Also detailed are areas where we
feel more work will need to be done by the Board and partners to
achieve better understanding of the challenges facing the region
and of the potential solutions to those challenges.
Dealing with dysfunctional housing markets
The new Centre for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS) study has
been used to inform the development of this part of the regional
housing strategy. As a general principle for the strategy as a whole,
we will seek to base our analysis and action on housing market areas
at every opportunity, rather than on traditional administrative
boundaries.
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