South West suffering from "chronic shortage" of homes
A group of 12 housing associations is calling for more to be done
Last updated 9th Feb 2024
The entire South West region is being held back by a chronic shortage of housing, according to a partnership of 12 housing associations across the West Country.
Homes For South West is warning that the shortage, combined with a lack of sufficient connectivity, is holding the region back.
The group, who's members own more than 250,000 homes, housing half a million people, says the government must take action urgently to address the issue.
Chair of Homes for the South West, Louise Swain says: “The housing crisis in the South West is fast approaching breaking point.
"Too few homes are being built and we are now one of the least affordable regions in England, behind only London, the East of England, and the South East."
The group says the problem could begin to be solved if the government laid out a clear 5-10 year plan for spending projects on housing, saying it would give certainty to companies and contractors across the industry and allow them to invest with confidence.
That call, the group says, is made in its manifesto titled “Building the Affordable Homes the South West Needs”, which has been informed by a study from the University of the West of England.
The research found a 200,000-home shortage alongside a 400 per cent rise in house prices over the past 25 years, combined with an 83 per cent increase in median earnings.
“Our manifesto calls for an urgent injection of investment and confidence in our region," Louise Swain said.
"It also sets out a range of practical steps that could be taken to drive the delivery of new homes so urgently needed by people in the South West.
“This is not just a call for change – but also a commitment from Homes for the South West members to work collaboratively with the Government and local communities to address the challenges facing our region.”
Other key recommendations from the manifesto include:
- Using public land for affordable homes: Revise public land disposal strategies to ensure 50% is used for affordable housing, leveraging regional assets for community benefit.
- Funding for regeneration: Make grant funding from the Affordable Homes Programme permanently available to replace poor-quality homes.
- Enforceable developer contributions: Tighten Section 106 agreement regulations to ensure developers contribute a genuinely fair share to affordable housing.
- Addressing regional inequalities: Reform the Affordable Homes Programme to prioritise regions like the South West that have experienced historic levels of underinvestment.
Greatest Hits Radio has contacted the government for comment.