My Lords, Amendment 193A, in my name, would require local plans to spell out the housing needs of the locality and set out how, over time, those needs can be met and homelessness and the use of temporary accommodation can be ended. There is a clear problem in that, at present, local plans are not required to factor in homelessness and social housing waiting lists. This means that the extent of housing problems and true housing need in a local authority area are not always reflected. Surely, including provisions to address these housing needs should be a basic component in a local plan; that is common sense.
Without this, there is far less of an incentive for local authorities to address the true extent of housing need in their area. The Bill currently permits local plans to include, among many other things, requirements for affordable housing. This amendment would replace this somewhat vague and light-touch permissive approach with a duty to be clear, both on the scale of local housing problems and the housing provisions that will address them.
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I pay tribute to Shelter colleagues for their work on this amendment, which has the backing of a wide range of organisations concerned not only with the nearly 250,000 people who are homeless or living in temporary accommodation, but the 1.2 million households languishing on waiting lists for an affordable home. The planning system must be a key factor in making housing policies work for these households. Recognising their needs explicitly in all local plans would be a positive step forward.
In giving emphasis to meeting affordable housing need, the amendment specifies that provision must be made in the local plan
“for sufficient social rent housing”.
In an upcoming amendment, we will look at the need for a new definition of “affordable housing”. In this amendment, we go with the term “social rent”, which refers to the rents that meet the rent standards set by the social housing regulator. These are the rents for most existing council and housing association homes, rather than the appreciably higher so-called affordable rents linked to market rents.
Social rent homes which are secure, decent and affordable are badly needed, and the amendment gives these the priority they deserve. With this amendment in place, every local planning authority would be empowered to take a firm line with the housebuilders in securing the delivery of genuinely affordable new homes. The authority could be more insistent on all developers meeting their obligations and it would be much more difficult for recalcitrant housebuilders to renege on the delivery of affordable housing agreements. With its local plan clearly establishing the amount and type of affordable housing that needs to be provided, the local authority would have greater credibility and authority in seeking support from central government, Homes England or the GLA for the funding it badly needs for its social housing.
This is not the moment to emphasise the urgency of ensuring that the affordable housing provision in each locality at least starts to match the need for it—there is
so much to do—but utilising the key planning tool of the local plan and the delivery strategies that flow from it would represent a vital step in making this happen. This amendment would make a reality of that opportunity. I hope noble Lords will join me in voting for the amendment if the Minister is unable to offer her support for it.