Property experts call for 'six major changes' to boost UK housing sector

A group of housing experts has put together a paper calling for 'six major changes' to be made to sustain a housing market recovery.

The paper is addressed to all three major parties and calls for changes no matter what the outcome of the General Election on May 6 2010.

With strong reliance on the private sector for the delivery of housing, none of the three major parties have prioritised housing with their focus mainly on education, the NHS and poverty.

However, the housing market links all three of these areas and Dan Angell, associate director at Tristan Fitzgerald Associates (TFA), adds: “It is ironic that with the main issue being the economy, little is ever mentioned about the contribution the construction industry could make to economic recovery.”

The report estimates that even if Britain built half the homes constructed in the peak year, then billions would be put back into Government coffers each year.

The six recommended changes are:

1. Instil confidence in the market again.
2. Re-utilise the 765,000 empty houses in the UK.
3. Inspire Housing Trusts to be more enterprising.
4. Incentivise new development and investment.
5. Set in place long-term mortgage assistance.
6. Re-energise the planning system.

The full report focuses on encouraging new development, private institutional investment into the residential rented sector, making urgent tweaks to the planning system rather than complete overhauls, help tomorrow’s first-time buyers through putting pressure on banks to set up tax-free deposit saving schemes and using resources the country already has to immediately relieve waiting lists for social housing.

The report's foreword is written by Tristan Fitzgerald Associates (TFA) Chairman Graham Warren with industry figureheads such as Stewart Baseley, Exec Chairman of the Home Builders Federation; James Sunley, CEO of Sunley Holdings Plc; Roger Humber, strategic policy advisor to the House Builders Association; Brian Smith at Landhold Capital; David Pretty CBE and Chairman of the New Homes Marketing Board and the Planning Officers Society all contributing to the report.

The views of representatives from all three main political parties were also considered, analysed and have contributed to the report’s findings.

John Bowles, head of development and residential consulting at BNP Paribas Real Estate, said: “Whatever the outcome of the election the fear remains that housing will get pushed further towards the bottom of the political agenda as the focus on public sector spending cuts and tax increases take effect.

"Housing is not a significant budgetary concern to Government – the continuing reliance on the private sector to meet the majority of our housing needs gives politicians free reign to use it and the planning system as a political football to be kicked as and when the whim takes them.

"Nevertheless, our suggestions of what is needed for a sustainable recovery in the housing market show that even with an incredibly limited budget, short-term ‘easy-win’ solutions are possible and practical and, no matter which party is successful, should be implemented for the good of the housing market.”

Vic Angell, MD of TFA, said:  "Our six recommendations are to combat the main requirements of the UK housing market which include: the need for more housing, particularly affordable; a quicker, more simplified planning system; confidence and stability; a better quality of home; private sector investment; short-term quick win solutions, the removal of ‘politics’ from housing and, above all, activity."

The full report also looks at what policies the three main parties are likely to introduce and the effects of several different outcomes of the General Election.