News MBC meet industry leaders to tackle Local impacts of national housing crisis
Leading figures in the housing industry have met with Maidstone Borough Council (MBC), to set out local plans to urgently address the national housing shortage.
Despite recent research indicating MBC has built more affordable homes than any other area in the county, the Council recognises more needs to be done to address the pressing needs of residents.
Of particular concern locally is the increasing need for Temporary Accommodation for those affected by homelessness in the borough, costing the Council around £4m in the current fiscal year.
During the meeting between local housing industry leaders and Cllr Simon Wales, MBC Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, discussions indicated a ‘perfect storm’ of factors contributing to the crisis including political change, planning reform, budget pressure, construction price increase and a slow-down in house sales.
Cllr Wales commented at the roundtable discussion:
“Poor quality housing is linked to poor health, which in turn leads to increases on other public sector costs and services, so the sooner we can move residents out of temporary accommodation into permanent homes the better for our communities as a whole, as well as those residents directly affected.”
The key takeaway from the meeting was a need for a flexible approach from all partners, as well as clearer communications from the housing sector around practical solutions and the benefits of new home development to help build public consensus and support.
Several key areas identified for action included:
- Encouraging joint ventures: Fostering collaboration between public, private, and voluntary sectors to unlock complex housing sites.
- Developing an infrastructure strategy: Providing the public with clarity on how and when developer contributions will be invested.
- Enhancing planning flexibility: Introducing adaptive approaches to planning permissions, particularly concerning affordable housing provisions.
Cllr Wales added:
“We’ve made great strides as a Council to address the housing shortage in the borough but the work is not done until every resident has access to safe, affordable housing.“It’s encouraging to see the sense of commitment and shared responsibility across the housing industry evident at this meeting; we firmly believe that working together in this way will help to address this urgent issue more quickly and effectively.”
Attendees at the event included senior council officers and representatives from prominent organisations, including The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Golding Homes, West Kent Housing Association, Bellway, Fernham Homes, Martin Arnold Associates, Red Loft, and DHA Planning.