The West of England needs to hear the public’s views on housing and transport to provide the affordable homes that the area badly needs, leading figures say.
Affordable housing providers Sovereign, Knightstone and the National Housing Federation (NHF) have urged the public to help shape the future of housing and transport provision in the West of England.
They support the West of England Joint Spatial Plan and Transport Study which gives local residents the opportunity to help shape development plans until 2036.
Hundreds of people have participated in the consultation since its launch in November, attending roadshows, leaving comments online and joining a conversation on social media around the dedicated #WEbuildourfuture hashtag.
The West of England is economically successful; it is currently worth £26bn and 95,000 new jobs are forecast by 2036.
The joint plan aims to map where new and affordable homes will be based in future to accommodate this growth. It is estimated that 85,000 homes are needed in this period, 29,000 of which are expected to be affordable.
Nick Horne, Chief Executive of Knightstone, said: “We’ve seen first-hand the positive impact of working with local communities in the development of affordable housing.
“For example, our development at Junction 3 in Bristol followed extensive consultation with local people and their views helped us deliver a high quality scheme that really benefits the local community.
“The impact of future planning will be felt for many generations to come; it affects quality of life for us all and it’s important we take decisions after listening to local people and communities.
“That’s why I support the approach that local authorities are taking, by offering residents the opportunity to help determine the future of development in our area.
“This way we can avoid a top-down approach and we can properly consider the needs of existing and future residents – the people who will ultimately live in the new homes, or use the local transport links.
“I’ve publically supported the consultation on social media since its launch and would strongly urge others to have their say on the future of housing and transport in our area.”
James Gibson, Sovereign’s Development Director, said: “What we’re seeing in the city region is a housing crisis. In just the last year, house prices have risen by 11.2% – the highest rate outside London.
“Our waiting lists are also growing, and increasingly residents are concerned how their children can afford their own homes in the future.
“As we’ve seen in Bradley Stoke in the past, where housing is built, jobs tend to follow; industries flock to areas where there is a quality labour supply.
“Housebuilders want to invest where there are lots of opportunities to build, so by freeing up land and thinking about infrastructure in advance, you’ll create a more competitive market.
“Not only will you build more, you’ll make renting or buying a home more affordable as well as encouraging companies to invest locally. Housebuilding not only provides jobs and homes; it also invests in important public services like libraries and schools.
“We’re really pleased to see the public consulted at this early stage as it means we can all work together towards the common goal of providing the infrastructure the region urgently needs. We’ll be urging our residents to engage, and we hope others across the region will too.”
The cost of rent and house prices are increasing. In some parts of the West of England values stand at more than 10 times average income levels, and rents are continuing to rise.
If the West of England is to sustain current levels of population growth, it is important that more homes and transport links are provided.
Kat Hart, NHF External Affairs Manager for the South West, said: “Housing is a critical issue for the economy, both in the South West and across the country.
“Our recent annual Home Truths report showed house prices have reached about 10 times average incomes in parts of the West of England, and are predicted to rise still further.
“Rents too are set to spiral skywards, rising by an estimated 27% by 2025. Against this backdrop it will be more important than ever to deliver the affordable homes that people need in the West of England.
“Housing associations are and will continue to be key to the future provision of housing in the West of England.
“It is vitally important that our members feed into this consultation and we fully support local partners in their ambition to deliver a plan that addresses the needs of our local communities.”
As part of an integrated approach to sustainable infrastructure, five options for development have been put forward including: focusing on areas that protect the green belt, developing areas around Bristol and a transport focused option, which could see more greenbelt land developed.
There are a number of ways people can share their views including: local events, briefing sessions, providing views in writing and online.
People have until the end of January to give their views. For more information about how you can get involved, visit the website at http://www.jointplanningwofe.org.uk.