Housing professionals reveal Communities Plan wish lists

The plan, expected to be issued in February, will reveal where the £4.7m over three years announced in last summer's spending review will go.

Lisa Griffin
Neighbourhood officer, Notting Hill Housing Trust
I think it's important for the Communities Plan to place more emphasis on how estates are designed. They need green spaces and trees, not just buildings.

There also needs to be an assurance that all these new affordable homes that have been planned in the Thames Gateway and Ashford will benefit people who aren't necessarily classed as key workers but who still can't afford to buy on the open market.

Lindsey McCallister
Director of development and regeneration, Irwell Valley Housing Association
The main thing for the Communities Plan to include would be the rolling out of market renewal funding opportunities beyond the 88 local authorities so more places can benefit from it.

I also think the new compulsory leasing order could be tied in with the market renewal pathfinders so there is a requirement on landlords operating in these areas to take care of their properties, to maintain a certain standard and help these blighted areas. One way to do this would be offer incentives to those who comply.

Eric Bowen
Director of housing and environmental health services, Leeds council
There is an issue with the private finance initiatives in that, at present, when a council embarks on a PFI project it has subsidies paid to it to support the projects that it wants to undertake. However councils do not know how much they will receive and they get different amounts depending on how debt-free they are. This means local authorities with similar projects receive differing amounts of subsidy and it creates inequalities. This must be addressed to make PFI a viable investment option.

Also, I'm concerned that through the Communities Plan the current pathfinders do not assume a status which causes other regeneration funding streams to be channelled into those areas at the expense of non-pathfinder areas where demand is also low.

Finally, there needs to be more joined-up thinking in terms of the initiatives that are set out; something that requires people to consult across areas in a more joined-up way. This can only be done at a local authority level, probably with an increased role for regional government offices.

Sue Benjamins
Director of housing, Tower Hamlets council, east London
The Communities Plan should include measures to help residents who face multiple deprivation – initiatives like training and job opportunities.

Also, any move to increase housing density must be matched by improvements in public transport and supported by the provision of community facilities like schools and drop-in centres. Without these, additional housing cannot prosper; the government must aid the creation of balanced, sustainable communities.

Rebecca Pritchard
Director of services, Centrepoint
The key is more affordable housing for single people. At the moment councils are putting young people in one-bedroom flats designed for families – they aren't really suitable for people living alone.

I'd also like to see tighter use of planning laws so private developers build reasonable amounts of social housing – I'd like 50% on new developments

for shared ownership or rent.

Local authorities don't currently use planning gain effectively.

I think the private rented sector needs to be seen as another source of affordable housing. Some kind of agency could provide the link to private-sector landlords, who may have reservations about taking on tenants on benefits or in low-paid jobs, and take on the risk for them.

Lastly, I think there should be something in the plan about services that look at education and employment, like an extension of the Connexions service that offers advice to people up to the age of 19 years old – many people need advice beyond that age.