The UK’s housing shortfall continues to be the subject of intense political and industry debate, becoming something of a regular feature on the news agenda over the past few months.
It’s fair to say that the scale of the challenge is daunting. In his Labour-led review of housing policy, the findings of which are due to be published in the summer, Sir Michael Lyons has proposed an annual target of 200,000 new homes across England in order to meet rising demand.
Compared with current levels, this figure sounds like an ambitious ask. Housing starts may be up, but are still nowhere near the sort of numbers we need: annual housing starts totalled 108,400 in the 12 months up to the end of March 2014, and that was a 34% increase on the numbers seen in the previous year.
It is therefore more important than ever for housebuilders of every size to find better ways of engaging effectively with local authorities in the planning process, as well as reaching out to existing residents in the local community.
This need has also been noted by many on the political side of the fence. As part of his research, Sir Michael Lyons commented that while some housebuilders do take the time to engage with local authorities and communities, and are good at it, there’s still room for improvement among many others. Speaking at a Home Builders Federation event in April, housing minister
Kris Hopkins corroborated this view, asserting that a ‘tension’ exists between housebuilders and both the public and local government.
The Government hopes that recent changes to housebuilding legislation, including the winding down of the Code for Sustainable Homes and its consolidation into the Building Regulations, may help to smooth the planning process.
Announcing its plans to streamline the system, communities minister Stephen Williams said the changes would ‘enable councils and developers to better work together to build high-quality, sustainable and secure homes in communities across the country’.
What can developers do to help improve relations between the two parties?
Needless to say, the design of the proposed dwellings is one of the most crucial factors in the reception of any new housing development, and putting forward an inspiring design that complements or better still enhances the locale will win over more objectors than a one-size-fits-all range of standard houses.
As Sir Terry Farrell said in his government-commissioned review of architecture and the built environment, ‘we have some of the best architects in the world in this country yet it is hard to see how this translates into the everyday experience in our towns and cities.
Industry leaders and built environment professionals should connect to the everyday much more and focus on making the ordinary better, not just one-off exceptional projects’.
Housebuilders need to dispel the misconception that they are simply rolling into town to make a quick buck and will quickly disappear after the project is complete, leaving behind dull or ugly developments that inconvenience local people.
The best way to do this is to show an in-depth knowledge of the local area and a genuine interest in the needs of local people.
Arbitrary ‘community benefits’ are often perceived as cheap bribes and are not enough; developers need to demonstrate that they have listened to existing residents and have taken the time to understand the individual sensitivities of each site.
One way housebuilders can help themselves is by presenting schemes that show consideration for how the design and selection of materials will help local authorities meet their targets for carbon emissions.
The design of a house can have a fundamental impact on people’s behaviour and encourage them to adopt more energy efficient habits.
By looking ahead and considering how a house will ultimately be used and how its design can deliver real benefits for both its residents and the local community, developers are more likely to win trust and respect for their proposals – particularly if it is clear that their aims are aligned with those of the local authority, such as a shared desire to deliver low carbon homes.
Liaising with the community and tailoring designs accordingly may require a greater investment of time and money, but building that trust in the first place will pay dividends for all parties in the long-term.
As with any relationship, however, it’s a two-way street, and there’s also a part for local authorities to play in this process. Here at SIG360 – a technical service department of the well-established specialist building materials and insulation distributor SIG plc – we have a great deal of experience of working with small to medium-sized regional housebuilders through our work advising on material choice for energy efficient product specifications and helping them to refine their proposals at an early planning stage.
Thus, we know that much of the volume of housing starts over the coming months and years is likely to come from new market entrants or existing SME housebuilders – and we understand and appreciate the challenges that these companies face.
With less experience of operating in the sector, these smaller developers are often in need of support and guidance from players who are more familiar with the industry. Ultimately, if local authorities are willing to acknowledge this fact and take the time to support less experienced developers through each step of the planning process, it can go a long way towards building mutual trust.
As a result, these authorities will be in a much better position to shape the relationship and ultimately make it a more rewarding experience, with more positive outcomes, for all involved.
Andrew Orriss is head of business development at SIG360.
