Wales Housing Network

The joint RTPI Cymru and CIH Cymru Network adds the Wales perspective to the joint Institute-wide level Network.

The network's activites in Wales were launched in October 2010 with events in Swansea and Old Colwyn, and the two Institutes agreed to develop their partnership working to deliver joint events to enable planners and housing professionals to come together to discuss issues of common interest. The events are being planned in response to that requested by members (delegates attending events), so we have developed different formats in north and south Wales - but this is of course open to change.

We are now looking for ideas for events for 2012; please get in touch with any requests for subjects to be covered.

Events

Housing Design Standards - Swansea 13 October 2011

This event discussed the various design standards and needs for housing in Wales. Setting the context, Andrew Charles gave the view from the Welsh Government for planning and housing design. Following this, Robin Shepherd from Barton Willmore discussed Design and Access Statements in practice and also Secured by Design. Colin King from BRE then presented on the Code for Sustainable Homes.

In the afternoon session, Andrew Lavender discussed Empty Homes strategies, focusing on the experience of Kent.

LDP Evidence Base for Housing - 3 October 2011, Old Colwyn

The second of the north Wales events this year focused on the evidence base for housing for Local Development Plans (LDPs). Simon Coop from Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners gave a presentation of how to evidence and determine local housing requirements.

Mair Jones the Rural Housing Enabler for Conwy and Denbighshire presented on the detail of the role of the Enablers across Wales, illustrating how they can provide information and intelligence for the development of information for LDPs.

Wendy Deardon from the North Wales Housing Association gave a presentation on empty homes, using examples of case studies. Wendy demonstrated through the case studies that individual empty buidlings can lead to multiple new affordable homes being achieved.

Funding for Housing - 19 May 2011, Old Colwyn

At the network's event in Old Colwyn, Matt Crawford, Design Coordinator of Lovell Partnerships gave a presentation explaining viability issues.

Funding for Housing in Wales: 12 May 2011, Swansea

On 12 May, the Network held a seminar in Swansea on funding for housing in Wales. A range of speakers gave excellent presentations providing a variety of persepctives on the issues affective housing, particularly around the funding and viability of delivering housing. The PowerPoint presentations from the day are available below.

The session was kicked off by Keith Edwards, Director at CIH Cymru in setting the scene for the day and the context we are currently operating in. Developing the context further, the seminar heard from Kedrick Davies of CDN Planning speaking on behalf of the Design Commision for Wales. Kedrick highlighted the important role of design in developing long lasting places for communities and what this actually means. He stressed the need in times of restricted finance not to do less, but to do it differently.

The seminar then looked at viability from three different perspectives: Sean Tristham of Rhondda Housing Association (presentation to follow shortly) spoke from the HA viewpoint, highlighting that HAs need to operate as businesses butalso take account of thesocial context and different requirements from Government than private developers. Bob Phillips of Mackworth Grange Ltd then spoke from a develoment company / housebuilder perspective, highlighting that price expectations of landowners need to be controlled as a key issue for delivering housing and viability of schemes, he also emphasised the need for strategic thinking and the need for working together as the way forward. The final perspective on viability was Vicky Abraham, from the Vale of Glamorgan Council, explaining the perspective of the Local Planning Authority in relation to viability and s106.

Craig Mitchell from the Welsh Local Government Association then reported back on a project currently underway (including a recent meeting on 10th May) involving the WLGA, the Council of Mortgage Lenders and other key partners, in discussing the issue of clauses used in s106 to allow lenders to lend on affected properties.