Homes England

[edit] What is Homes England?

Homes England is the government’s housing and regeneration agency, which looks to support the construction of affordable, quality homes in well-designed places which are key to improving people’s lives. Together with its partners, it aim to accelerate the pace of house building and regeneration across the country, to deliver homes and places that people are proud to live in. Homes England is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and was initially launched on 11 January 2018, when it replaced the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

In October 2018, Homes England published its Strategic Plan 2018/19 to 2022/23, setting out plans for helping more people in England '...access better homes in the right places". This described its mission and objectives as:

• unlock public and private land where the market will not, to get more homes built where they are needed
• ensure a range of investment products are available to support housebuilding and infrastructure, including more affordable housing and homes for rent, where the market is not acting
• improve construction productivity
• create a more resilient and competitive market by supporting smaller builders and new entrants, and promote better design and higher quality homes
• offer expert support for priority locations, helping to create and deliver more ambitious plans to get more homes built
• effectively deliver home ownership products, providing an industry standard service to consumers

Ref https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-england-strategic-plan-201819-to-202223

[edit] Homes England under a new government

Prior to the general election in 2024 all the party manifestos had a focus on housebuilding. The Labour Government in its manifesto said it planned to build 1.5 million homes over the following parliament, restore national housing targets in planning, with a brownfield-first approach to development, releasing ‘grey belt’ land for new homes. Increase social and affordable housing supply through planning. Help councils and housing associations to build to their capacity and steps to ensure building more high-quality, well-designed, and sustainable homes and creating places. With £6.6 billion to upgrade five million homes. Grants and low interest loans insulation and other improvements, and partner with combined authorities, local and devolved governments, to roll out this plan. Work with the private sector to provide further private finance to accelerate home upgrades and low carbon heating, introduce mortgage guarantee schemes for first time buyers and immediately abolish Section21 ‘no fault’ evictions. There was also indication that it would look to ‘repurpose’ Homes England as part of its housing drive.

Following the general election, with a Labour government and pressure to deliver on its 1.5 million homes promise, the government, following a number of consultations looked to fast-track planning for housing schemes, and update the NPPF.

[edit] Background

Homes England was launched on 11 January 2018, when it replaced the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

This followed a commitment in the Autumn Budget 2017 to bring together money, expertise, planning and compulsory purchase powers, with a remit to facilitate the delivery of new homes where they are most needed and to deliver a sustained improvement in affordability.

It also followed the renaming of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), and the renaming of the 'Communities Secretary' as the 'Housing Secretary'. These changes reflect an increasing focus by government on the housing crisis and a commitment to deliver an average of 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s.

Homes England is intended to drive forward change, as set out in the government’s housing white paper ‘Fixing our broken housing market’, published on 7 February 2017. It is governed by a board appointed by the Housing Secretary who decide what its priorities will be.

Housing Secretary Sajid Javid said; “This government is determined to build the homes our country needs and help more people get on the housing ladder. Homes England will be at the heart of leading this effort. The development at Alconbury is a prime example of how the agency has worked to deliver thousands of new homes, as well as improve roads and create space for local businesses. The new agency will be key in replicating this approach right across the country and will help us build a Britain fit for the future.”

British Property Federation (BPF) chief executive at Melanie Leech said: “We welcome the launch of the new Homes England, and we look forward to working even more closely on the delivery of much-needed new homes across the UK. It’s clear there is growing momentum behind the government’s housing agenda and we are delighted with the continuing policy support for a multi-tenure approach to housing supply, creating great places and the remediation of land. This will be vital if the housing white paper and the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework have any chance of making a significant impact on volume and affordability.”

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Autumn Budget 2017.
• Building for a Healthy Life BHL.
• Design for Homes.
• Diversity in regeneration.
• Homes England Modern Methods of Construction research finalised.
• Housing Forum seeks unity over suspension of works.
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
• Homes and Communities Agency.
• Fixing our broken housing market.