Housing delivery is heavily influenced by commercial considerations of developers. The 3SC wants to work with the industry to facilitate increased pace and certainty in housing delivery. Meeting housing needs more effectively will support increased productivity across the 3SC.
Currently, the level of housing provision being planned for by local authorities, in their statutory Local Plans, is around 120,000 new homes to 2030. This is significantly higher than the levels of housing than have historically been delivered; an increase of around 26%.
However, delivering this growth in a timely and sustainable way will be challenging without the timely delivery of infrastructure to support housing growth. We are keen to negotiate additional devolved powers which will enable the area to:
- Bring pace and certainty to the delivery of the housing planned for in Local Plans.
- Reduce the significant risks associated with the delivery of the infrastructure needed and work towards addressing the overall deficit.
- Improve the prospects for those struggling to access affordable housing in the area in the context of ensuring our economy has the skills it needs. This will include providing more flexibility for stock and non-stock owning authorities to manage the supply of tenure mixes.
The 3SC area is one of the most expensive places to live in the United Kingdom. House prices in South East are the second highest nationally.
High housing costs mean many people on low incomes, including many key workers, can’t afford to live here. This affects the ability of businesses and public services to access the skills they need.
The 3SC is asking for:
- a novel and long term approach to infrastructure funding involving partnership between the 3SC local authorities and Government
- devolution of funding for infrastructure currently held by various Government departments into one pot to enable forward funding
- acceleration of the release of surplus brownfield land held by Government
- a more proactive partnership with the Homes Communities Agency to improve delivery
- greater influence over utility regulators
- flexibility on the cap and level of discount on starter homes and the ability to pool Right to Buy receipts
- freedom for Local Authority building control services to compete and discretion on planning fees
- reduction of the compensation payable for compulsory purchase of vacant homes
- discretion on Permitted Development Rights on commercial space.
Housing and Planning workstream:
The Housing and Planning workstream is made up of officers from across the partner authorities and is led by:
CEO Sponsor: Kathryn Hall, Mid Sussex DC
Workstream lead: Judy Holmes, Mid Sussex DC
3SC 