The Government has responded to an independent review on scaling up the self and custom build sector – including community led housing.
“The government recognises that the community-led approach to housebuilding helps support local communities and local economies by providing housing that is affordable at local incomes. It encourages civic engagement in designing and delivering the homes and engenders a strong sense of civic pride in the quality of built environment that it delivers.”
In their response, the Government has said they:
- Support the creation of a Self-Commissioned Homes Delivery Unit within Homes England to deliver all forms of self-commissioned homes encompassing self-build, custom build and community led housing.
- Will explore what more Government can be done, working with local authorities and registered providers, to support and increase the number of affordable self-commissioned schemes within the AHP and through its wider programmes.
- Support Homes England to establish the viability of a plot to rent scheme and how this might be taken forward.
The original review, commissioned by the Prime Minister, was carried out by Richard Bacon MP and included many supportive recommendations for community led housing, including the renewal of the Community Housing Fund.
Owen Jarvis CEO of UK Cohousing Network and of Community Led Homes, said:
“It’s great that the Government recognises the potential of community led housing and the impact that the Community Housing Fund has had. This is a galvanised movement, committed to building quality homes for those in need.
“The Community Led Homes partnership is working closely with Government to harness this sentiment and to make the pipeline of 12,000 deliverable homes a reality. We look forward to further conversations about how best to put Government’s intentions in place with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities and the proposed future Self-Commissioned Homes Delivery Unit within Homes England.”