Delivering housing for a successful regional economy in the South West

Welcome to the South West Housing Initiative's website.

The SWHI

The SWHI is a group of business, professional, housing association and housebuilder representatives in the SW Region assembled initially as part of an ODPM commission to address more efficient ways of delivering sustainable communities.

Use the menu on the left handside to find out more about our recent conference and best practice workshops in delivering affordable housing.

Context

The SW Region is the fastest growing region in the country. It currently suffers from:

• A housing affordability gap amongst the worst in the country that is impeding economic growth.
• An increased and unsatisfied demand for housing which is forecast to continue to grow significantly.
• Planning and other difficulties hampering the delivery of land and homes.
• A high and unacceptable level of households living in temporary accommodation.

SWHI Objective

"To promote co-operation between SW businesses, housing providers and government to sustain and grow a prosperous regional economy through the provision of more (and consequently more affordable) housing in sustainable communities."

To achieve this, the SWHI intends to contribute to the preparation and deliverability of public policies that:

1. Provide more housing and as a consequence more affordable housing in the SW Region.
2. Improve the rate of delivery of well designed, housing in sustainable communities.
3. Collect market and other data; promote improved standards for quality, sustainability and affordability and share best practice in these matters.

Action

The action proposed to achieve the SWHI objectives is:

• A programme of briefing meetings with GOSW, SWERDA, SWRA, Baroness Dean, Yvette Cooper, individual and groups of councillors and MPs.
• A programme of media awareness of the need for more housing, especially affordable housing from CBI/HBF/NHF/CIH jointly.
• Responding to and influencing consultations on the RSS, RES, RHS and Integrated Regional Strategy and Regional Funding Allocations.
• Promoting the application of best practice in housing design, procurement, negotiation with planning authorities and delivery of sustainable communities at a regional level.
• The collection of data regarding best practice in the delivery of mixed tenure housing in sustainable communities to be presented at a SWHI Debate following the summit below.
• A conference on the need for more housing including affordable housing in Bristol on 26th June in Bristol.

Support

SWHI is actively supported by the SW Branches of The Confederation of British Industry, The Home Builders Federation, The Chartered Institute of Housing, The National Housing Federation, The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and The Royal Town Planning Institute.

Additional support is provided by Clarke Willmott lawyers, The Aster Group, The Devon and Cornwall Housing Association, The Sovereign Housing Group and YTP Regeneration Partnerships who manage the Initiative.