Our chance to innovate
In the latest of a series of articles from North East council leaders ahead of the region’s devolution deal, North Tyneside Council mayor Dame NORMA REDFEARN, who is interim portfolio holder for housing and land, explains how the devo deal could help more
ONE of life’s non-negotiables, something that no person or family should ever be without, is a safe and secure place that they can call home.
Our devolution deal for the North East, that we as council leaders worked to negotiate with Government, brings with it £69m of investment to unlock and transform new sites, deliver high-quality affordable housing opportunities and ensure we have homes that fit the needs of our people.
Our people and our communities are at the heart of everything we do; ensuring they are able to live happy, healthy lives in a home and area that is suitable for their needs.
Across the North East demand for housing has never been higher. While this is a testament to the quality of life in our region, it comes with challenges.
Like everywhere else in the country, we are faced with a difficult situation – there is a shortage of social housing and an increase of people who need it. The national issues affecting the housing market and the cost of living crisis makes it very difficult for people to purchase and maintain their own home, and the private rental market is facing pressures of its own.
Compared to national averages, fewer residents in the North East own their property and, outside of London, our region has the highest proportion of people in social rented properties in the country. The most worrying aspect is these issues culminate in a regional increase in homelessness. This creates a challenge around temporary accommodation and puts people at risk of being forced into rough sleeping.
This portfolio seeks to address these issues. We will improve the range, quality and affordability of housing.
We will drive economic growth and support the regeneration of our places. And, most importantly, we will support our most vulnerable people.
We want to be able to provide the lifestyle that our residents deserve and to do this, we need to spot and take opportunities to build highquality, affordable homes – in particular, using the enhancement of our Brownfield Fund to continue making the most of brownfield sites.
Without intervention, these sites would stand derelict, be out of use and could become hotspots for antisocial behaviour or flytipping. Instead, we are able to turn them into beautiful communities of homes where families can settle down, children can grow up and lifelong memories can be made – all while preserving our green spaces.
And creating these affordable housing opportunities has a knockon effect for the local area. It provides a home for a person or family, which results in increased footfall and supports a sustainable future for local businesses, our towns, high streets and city centres.
Having increased powers around the acquisition and disposal of land will allow us to find and accelerate plans for sites. Despite the issues affecting the house building industry, we will be able to push forward new developments and do everything within our gift to address the housing shortfall.
As much as anything else, this deal brings with it opportunity and the chance to be innovative in our solutions. The North East can be a trailblazer in the country through the decarbonisation of our housing stock. Improving the energy efficiency in existing and new developments will not only help us progress to our net-zero goals but can help residents save money on their bills too.
Devolution is about making a difference in the quality of our residents’ lives. Even with the new powers that the devolution deal brings, delivering on our priorities will require partnerships, collaboration and a shared vision for our future. It gives me a real sense of pride to see the progress made to date and the commitment and passion from housing providers and partners around the region.
But this commitment goes far beyond the delivery of new homes. It’s much bigger than that. It’s about the people as well as the places – creating communities that they can be proud to be part of and call their home.
Work is already under way on producing a long-term vision and strategy for housing in the North East and even before the election of a mayor we have, metaphorically and literally, laid the foundations that will allow us to hit the ground running later this year.
This is such an exciting time for our region. This combined authority, along with housing providers and our partners, has the opportunity to really leave its mark on the housing sector and make a difference for future generations.
It’s about the people as well as the places – creating communities that they can be proud to be part of and call their home Dame Norma Redfearn