Communities and Local Government: Housing March 2016

Conservatives: The Party of Home Ownership “For me, there’s one big piece of unfinished business in our economy: housing.” (Prime Minister David Cameron, Conservative Party Conference, 7 October 2015) “The homes that we build shape the lives, for better or for worse, of generation after generation of people who live in them.” (Communities Secretary Greg Clark, Housing Bill, 2 November 2015)

Helping first-time buyers Buyer propensities by age groups, per 1,000 adults (The challenge facing first-time buyers, CML, 23 April 2015)

What Conservatives in Government have done so far Help to Buy Equity Loan Equity Loan London Mortgage Guarantee ISA Shared Ownership Starter Homes

Lifetime Home principles Inclusivity Aims to assist use by everyone, regardless of age, gender or disability. Meets a diverse range of needs over time. Offers greater ‘visitability’, so that an individual is not prevented from visiting a household due to the design of the home. Accessibility Aims to give the widest range of people, including those with physical and/or sensory impairments, older people and children, convenient and independent access into and around the built environment and also equal access to services. Adaptability Can be simply adapted to meet people’s changing needs over time or to suit the needs of different users. Sustainability Underpinned by essential accessible elements aimed at meeting current and future needs, including homes, facilities, goods and services, contributes to the creation of stable and popular neighbourhoods and communities. Good Value Can be incorporated into a dwelling’s design and construction from the outset with only a marginal cost effect. Once occupied, the adaptability of the dwelling should actually save a household money if needs change.

Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (HAPPI) design criteria Space and flexibility Daylight in the home and in shared spaces Balconies and outdoor space Adaptability and 'care ready' design Positive use of circulation space Shared facilities and 'hubs' Plants, trees, and the natural environment Energy efficiency and sustainable design Storage for belongings and bicycles External shared surfaces and 'home zones'

What Conservatives in Government have done so far Delivered over 270,000 new affordable homes since 2010 Expanding the definition of affordable housing Funding to build 200,000 new Starter Homes Building more homes for shared ownership Releasing public sector land Direct commissioning Building more accessible homes

Questions for discussion What more might the Government do to support first time buyers more effectively? To what extent do you think first time buyers predominantly face a supply problem? In your area, what are the particular challenges that first time buyers face when they want to get on to the housing ladder? To what extent should the Government intervene to improve the housing market? How, if at all, should Government help prepare young people for home ownership whilst they are in education? What does it mean in practice to promote sustainable development and what should be the respective role of developers, local government and public agencies in creating successful new communities? To what extent should developers be required to design a greater proportion of homes that are accessible or adaptable for a wider range of householders?

Next steps Deadline for submissions on Housing discussion paper: 31 May to CPF.Papers@Conservatives.com Circulation of submissions summary: 30 June 2016 Ministerial response to submissions on housing: 29 July 2016 Campaign for elections on Thursday 5 May Discussion break for EU Referendum Next Discussion Paper: Monday 27 June