One year on from the UK Government’s Housing Strategy, house building is still well behind required levels and the UK needs new homes to buy and rent more than ever.
Against this backdrop, RICS has established a commission to recommend ways of delivering the right homes, in the right tenure, in the right places.
The commission is calling on RICS members and the property sector to submit written evidence of practical examples of initiatives that would help boost the number of homes across the country.
The commission will also be taking oral evidence from the sector and invites suggestions from the property profession, the not-for-profit housing sector, investors, developers, stakeholders and public interest bodies.
The commission has a unique opportunity to use the breadth of knowledge across the property industry to consider housing delivery from a holistic perspective and truly understand how each part of the sector impacts on the other.
Michael Newey, RICS President Elect and CEO, Broadland Housing, will chair the commission and will address the following questions:
- Effective Subsidies - How affordable can future housing be and how should subsidised housing be paid for?
- Improving Stock Quality - How can we improve our existing stock quickly and sustainably to create homes which meet the standards we need?
- Regulation - What regulation is appropriate and what outcomes should regulation be designed to achieve?
- Land Availability - How do we ensure that there is enough land in the right places to meet the need for new homes?
- Facilitating Investment in the rental sector - How do policy makers and practitioners ensure that affordable rented housing is attractive to institutional investors?
The commission will use this practical evidence to make recommendations for RICS, government and the sector and will publish a report in June 2013. The report will be delivered to the UK Housing Minister and the Shadow Housing Minister to help formulate policies to address the country’s housing crisis in the short term and manifesto commitments ahead of the 2015 election.
Oral evidence sessions will take place from Monday, 4 March. Sessions are open to both RICS members and non-members.
Michael Newey, RICS President Elect and commission chair, said: "Since the recession first began there has been a great deal of discussion as to what should and shouldn’t be done to get housing supply moving again. With the country well and truly in the grips of an economic downturn it is vital that the market is kept as buoyant and active as possible. This begins with boosting housing supply across the country in areas where it’s needed.
“We are looking for input and from our members and those in the wider property sector to contribute and offer their thoughts and advice on initiatives and proposals that can help boost housing supply across the UK. We’re also interested in hearing from those in the not-for-profit housing sector, investors, developers, stakeholders and public interest bodies."
