Themes

Regions

Housing

"without further action housing will become one of the greatest sources of social inequality in the next 20 years….Every part of the country needs more affordable homes - in the north and the south, in urban and rural communities… We need more homes - but we need better designed, more sustainable homes." Yvette Cooper, Housing Minister speaking at the launch of the housing green paper July 2007. 

The government has recognised the need for major investment in more affordable and more sustainable homes.  The Prime Minister has announced the need for 3 million more homes by 2020 and has set out a pledge of an additional three billion investment for housing.  Spiraling house prices and a lack of affordable homes provide a major challenge.  The picture on the ground is more complex however and includes areas of poor quality neighbourhoods plagued by low employment and incomes, limited aspirations and a decaying infrastructure.  Bricks and mortar are only part of the answer.  The major issue for the housing policymaker and practitioner is being able to tailor their approach to meet the needs of local communities.  This is the only way to ensure that the benefits of intervention are long term.  Factoring in the full range of social, economic and environmental issues is essential to meet the objective of creating sustainable communities.

ECOTEC's dedicated housing team is experienced in working with local authorities and national and regional agencies to develop and implement housing and planning policy.  We work with housing associations and local authorities to support business planning and asset management and with a range of sub-regional partnerships to understand markets and develop policies and strategies to support sustainable and successful communities.

ECOTEC can help you: 

  • Understand and define your housing market;
  • Carry out Strategic Housing Market Assessment
  • Prepare housing investment programmes;
  • Develop your housing strategy and policy;
  • Understand market change – migration, private rented sector, affordability;
  • Evaluate your effectiveness;
  • Plan and manage your activities.

Service Portfolio: Merry Hill

In 2006 Brierley Hill Regeneration Partnership (BHRP) commissioned ECOTEC to conduct a study of two new build apartment developments on the edge of the Merry Hill shopping centre in Brierley Hill. The study used market evidence from our  major survey of new build housing in the Black Country, data on prices and vacancy rates, and surveys of apartment occupiers and investor purchasers and local estate agents.

 

The apartments have changed perceptions of the market locally, confirming the high level of demand for city living.  They attracted people to the area and buyer satisfaction is high.  Vacancies are limited and prices have increased.

 

As well as guiding priorities on local regeneration, the study was submitted as evidence to Examination in Public (EiP) held in January 2007 for the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) Phase One Revision for the Black Country.  The panel report recommends Brierley Hill should be granted strategic centre status and complementing BHRP's local regeneration strategy.  This is expected to usher in significant levels of new housing in Brierley Hill over the next 20 years.

 

Tim Sunter, Chief Executive of BHRP says “We are pleased with the results of the study as they clearly show the progress Brierley Hill is making towards lasting regeneration. The housing study really does highlight how Brierley Hill is increasingly becoming the place of choice for families, young professionals and investors.”

 

The report can be downloaded at http://www.brierleyhill.org/bhrp/

 

clare.tostevin@ecotec.com
+44 161 238 4965


Other projects in this Portfolio