COMMENT 19
natural wastage outstripping the rate of new recruitments. Brexit is making this problem worse as lots of foreign nationals leave these shores for pastures new, and as yet we are not exploiting the modular housing model sufficiently for this to fill the gap.
The general public apparently does not welcome the prospect of living in a factory built house, but this is probably our best opportunity to showcase just what this part of the housing industry can contribute. Building houses more quickly, to a higher and more consistent standard at a lower cost should surely convince even the most strident doubters that this is a practical solution to one of the toughest problems of today.
Another skill shortage we need to overcome is in local authority planning departments. For the last 10 years we have been losing experienced town planners as part of the general belt-tightening affecting the public sector. The pressure will be on to get housing schemes approved quickly so that starts can be made on site as soon as possible. A presumption that planning consent will be given, whatever the case, is not necessarily the right message to give.
CAPACITY
But here is the rub – the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the Hackitt Review have
shown us that we cannot play fast and loose with Building Regulations or safety standards. The design and planning of housing is one of the most fundamental elements in ensuring that our homes are fit for purpose and will continue to provide for our needs in decades to come. The houses and flats built in the next five years or so will need to last for a century or more and we do not want to be providing our children and grandchildren with a sub-standard product. They will never forgive us!
In her speech to the NHF conference, the Prime Minister called on housing associations to use their skills and know- how to ensure we build the right kind of homes, in the right places at the right prices. It is vital that councils draw on this experience and encourage associations to contribute fully to local community building and regeneration efforts. The Local Government Association has recently published on its website the results of an interesting and timely study ‘Innovation in council housebuilding’ which provides a wealth of information and practical examples of how obstacles can be overcome. This is essential reading in council housing and planning departments, but also in developers’ offices, so they can understand the issues and think how they can contribute ideas and solutions.
Council leaders have been asking for this financial freedom for years and this is not the time to blow it. The problem and the importance of finding workable solutions means that a much greater emphasis will have to be placed on collaborative working – irrespective of whether this is with neighbouring councils, housing associations or indeed the private sector. There is an opportunity here for all to benefit, and petty jealousies or past mistakes cannot be allowed to get in the way.
I have heard some politicians and senior council officers likening the current environment to the one that existed when Attlee and Macmillan led the great council housebuilding eras of the last century. I am obviously far too young to make similar comparisons myself, but it does appear that the necessary bricks are being put in place to deliver a long overdue fillip to affordable housebuilding. The signs are better now than they have been for the last 30 years or so that national and local government are finally prepared to work together on delivering a workable solution, which we should all benefit from.
The close links between good housing and good health means that an important outcome from this could be that some pressure is removed from the NHS. That is the surely the sort of dividend that all of us can get behind and support.
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