Themes

Policy

Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods
25 Feb 2008 - A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society The ageing of the population will be one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century for housing. This strategy sets out Communities and Local Government's response to this challenge, their plan to create Lifetime Homes in Lifetime Neighbourhoods . It outlines their plans for making sure that there is enough appropriate housing available in future to relieve the forecasted unsustainable pressures on homes, health and social care services.
Our response to Callcutt Review of Housebuilding Delivery
22 Nov 2007 - Our view on meeting the new house building target. The review considers the challenges facing the housebuilding industry in meeting the Government’s new house building target, along with its overarching ambition to create sustainable communities. We believe the Callcutt Review provides an ideal opportunity for the construction sector to comprehend the role it already plays in delivering successful communities. The Review also offers the potential to lay the foundations for housing to contribute towards the Government’s overall strategy of delivering sustainable and mixed communities, and in particular the delivery of the Sustainable Communities Plan. 
Debate considers the reality of low carbon communities
Calls for more subsidies for energy efficient homes and efforts to focus on improving and growing existing towns and cities were raised during our debate on low carbon communities. The first in a series of debates sparked lively discussion on the reality of creating low carbon communities. Over 70 people from across the sector contributed to the debate around leading issues including locality, community engagement, connectivity, old versus new and low carbon or no carbon.
Market intelligence research
We're undertaking a study to assess how the recession has affected the supply and demand of skills in the sector. The study will update the findings of our first in-depth review of skills – Mind the Skills Gap (MSG) which was launched in September 2007. In 2007, Mind the Skills Gap concluded that England faced a significant shortage of qualified professionals with the necessary skills between now and 2012.
Mixed use development workshop
The academy held a one-day workshop on the future of mixed use development in the current economic climate. We've summaried the discussions in the practice paper which you can download (please be patient, it's a large file)
Debate considers the recession's impact on cohesive communities
The second of our series of online debates looks at how community cohesion can be maintained and developed in the midst of a recession.
Dialogues in Community Cohesion
A seminar to explore the relationship between design and community cohesion. This seminar, run by Ashram Housing Association , will share best practice and launch the newly accredited Community Design Course aimed at local residents wishing to actively engage in housing, neighbourhood design and related careers. Speakers at this conference include: Peter Jones, Head of Investment, HCA Indy Johar, founder of 00:architects Jas Baines, CEO, Ashram » Location: The Studio, Birmingham » Cost: Free » Booking deadline: 18th February 2009 » To book a place and for further information, download the flyer on the right.
Delivering better skills for better places
Leading on tackling current and future skills gaps in partnership with the sector’s key players The delivering better skills for better places action plan is led by the HCA, with participation and support from key organisations across the sector, all with a role in its design and delivery. It builds on many of the successful projects and national, regional and local initiatives already underway by some of the partner organisations. Each partner has been working towards similar ambitions and delivering better skills for better places combines these energies to achieve those ambitions.
Brownfield Skills Strategy - Consultation Responses
The public consultation period for the Draft Brownfield Skills Strategy occurred between 4 March and 10 June 2008. Forty-six repsonses were received. Overall, respondents were very supportive of the proposed strategy, with 34 making pledges of support. Responses were submitted by representative groups, organisations, teams and individuals involved in promoting, or who are reliant upon the skills needed for the reuse of brownfield land. All responses that did not request confidentiality are downloadable in PDF format. Cover sheets with contact details have been removed from all template responses. You can download a summary of consultation responses, and a zip file containing all 46 responses - they are listed on the right.
Mind the Skills Gap research
Key report highlighing the skills we need for sustainable communities. This major piece of research was undertaken by Arup on our behalf. Building on the work of others - including Ernst & Young, DTZ, York Consulting, Asset Skills, CIS and CABE - the study provides the first cross-sector assessment of supply and demand of skills required to deliver sustainable communities. It provides detailed information on current and forecasted labour shortages and skills gaps, by profession and by region. Building sustainable communities depends on the efforts of a wide range of occupations, including architecture, planning, civil engineering, surveying, housing, community development, neighbourhood management, economic development and increasingly environmental management. This study provides the sector with an opportunity to assess what we’re doing to tackle these issues and ensure that we accelerate our programmes to meet market demand.
Kerslake: first head for Homes and Communities Agency
Government announcement that Sir Bob Kerslake will be the first Chief Executive of the new Homes and Communities Agency. » Read the notice on the Communities and Local Government website  
The Thames Gateway Plan
30 Nov 2007 - Three-year delivery plan setting out a programme of investment to boost the economy of the Thames Gateway. This includes delivering new jobs, expansion in further and higher education, increase in affordable housing and enhancement of the natural parks and spaces. »  Download the plan (pdf) from the Communities and Local Government website
Planning White Paper Consultation Response
27 Nov 2007 - Government response to issues emerging from the consultation on the Planning White Paper and details of next steps in relation to the Planning Bill. » Download the full response from the Communities and Local Government website  
Callcutt Review of housebuilding delivery
22 Nov 07 - Independent review that examines how the supply of new homes is influenced by the nature and structure of the housebuilding industry, the business models and its supply chain, including land, material and skills. » Download the review » Read the Government's response
Pushing back the frontiers
21 Nov 2007 - Report setting out a vision for developing multi-area agreements published by Local Government Association This local government initiative has the potential to change the way that councils and government agencies work together. » Visit the Local Government Association website  
Response to Strong & Prosperous Communities White Paper
6 Nov 2006: The Department for Communities and Local Government published the Local Government White Paper 'Strong and prosperous communities’ on 26 Oct 2006. We welcome the White Paper, which includes strong themes of community leadership, civic engagement and effective representation. Key elements of the White Paper for us include: Enabling citizens and communities to have a greater say in the services they receive and in shaping the places in which they live; A new framework for strategic leadership within local areas bringing together local partners; and Local government becoming a strategic leader and a place-shaper.

Response to Planning for a Sustainable Future
25 Sep 2007 - Our response to the Government's white paper. As the national centre for delivering the skills and knowledge needed to make better places, our work is at the heart of the Government's agenda in planning for a sustainable future . We welcome the Government's initiative to maintain the momentum of reform within the planning system started with the 2004 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act. It supports the objects of the white paper namely to simplify and make more coherent the current system, and thereby make it more efficient and effective. The following is a summary of our response. 
The Place-shaping Challenge
14 May 07 - Does local government have the skills to deliver? It is not a coincidence that the full title of the recent high profile review was the " Lyons Inquiry into Local Government - Place-shaping: a shared ambition for the future of local government ". In my opinion, not enough has been made of this new an exciting consensus that local government's core function is to shape the places it serves.  But a lingering doubt remains.  As a former local authority Chief Executive for over 10 years, I'm left wondering if local government has the people with the knowledge and skills to become a really effective place-shaper?
Barker Review of Land Use Planning
5 Dec 2006 -  Highlighting the role urban and regional planning plays in deliver sustainable economic development. The Review was lead by former CBI Economist and a current member of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee, Kate Barker, who also led a recent Government Review of Housing Supply.  The Review highlights the vital role urban and regional planning can play to deliver sustainable economic development, particularly in view of the pressures of a growing population especially in the South East, raising incomes, an aging population, climate change and the increasing globalisation of the world economy. Increasing globalisation and in particular the rise of India and China are major drivers for the Barker Review. The business community have long argued that an increasingly competitive world economy dictates that the UK needs a more flexible and responsive planning system. In response to Barker's publication CBI Deputy Director-General, John Cridland, stated "a sound planning system is vital to economic growth, but businesses have been badly hampered by the slowness and uncertainty of the current process". Cridland also welcomed "Kate Barker's recommendations signal a positive shift in planning culture, and we welcome a cutback in bureaucracy".
Planning for Climate Change article
19 Dec 2006 - Our Chair, Prof. Peter Roberts, and Town and Country Planning Association Chief Executive, Gideon Amos, essay on Planning for Climate Change. This was published in the latest Smith Institute pamphlet, " The Green Shift: Environmental policies to match a changing public climate ", along with essays from influential politicians, key scientists and academics.  » You can download the full document from the Smith Institute web site (pdf)
Leitch Review
12 Dec 2006 - Govt commissioned review to identify the optimal skills mix for 2020 in order that we can maximise economic growth, raise productivity and improve social justice. The Government commissioned the Leitch Review to identify the UK's optimal skills mix for 2020 in order that the UK can maximise economic growth, raise productivity and improve social justice. The final report, published on 5 December 2006, recommends far-reaching changes to the UK's education and training system to make it responsive to employer needs, and to ensure the UK remains globally competitive.

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