Government roundtable discusses affordable housing delivery

Northern Housing Consortium’s Chief Executive, Tracy Harrison, has taken part in a roundtable event with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Angela Rayner MP and the Minister for Housing, Matthew Pennycook MP, discussing affordable and social housing delivery.

The event was attended by council leaders, sector representatives and housing associations and enabled them to talk directly to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Housing about the challenges and opportunities in delivering affordable and social homes.

Immediately after the event, Tracy Harrison said:

“This was an incredibly upbeat and optimistic session and included discussion on a wide range of issues affecting the housing sector – including the need for a holistic approach to housing quality and energy efficiency in order to provide green and decent homes.

“During the event, Matthew Pennycook underlined the Government’s commitment to building 1.5 million homes over the next five years and said that the social housing sector will be crucial in helping to deliver on this.

“I outlined the opportunity for 320,000 homes on the North’s brownfield land and the changes needed to current funding to help unlock more land, as well as the need for more control and flexibility for our Mayoral Combined Authorities. 

“It’s been less than a month since the new Government came into power and, from these discussions and from the plans which were laid out in the King’s speech on 17th July, it’s clear that housing is at the top of the agenda.

 “The Northern Housing Consortium will continue to act as a voice for housing in the North, making sure that Government fully understands and addresses the challenges we face and that the North can fulfil its potential as we work together to create the affordable, good quality, green homes we need.”