Themes

Housing

Showcase - best practice
Our website of case studies to inform and inspire. Showcase highlights projects that contribute to creating better communities. These examples give practical insight into developing sustainable communities. Visit Showcase at showcase.homesandcommunities.co.uk Before creating Showcase we researched which sources of best practice knowledge are already used by sustainable communities practitioners and how we can make this better. We're grateful to our stakeholders for their help with this research.
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. 
Advisory Team for Large Applications (ATLAS)
ATLAS is a part of HCA which provides an independent advisory service to local planning authorities that are experiencing the pressures of increased development activity. ATLAS currently operates nationally with team members based in offices in Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Warrington, Leeds, Ashford and Bristol. The team is sponsored by the Department of Communities & Local Government (CLG) and hosted by the Homes & Communities Agency. Members of the ATLAS team are experienced in town planning and development issues and have been advising and assisting Local Planning Authorities across a wide variety of complex projects all of which contain a significant number of residential units. The team has rapidly expanded to offer guidance and assistance across a wide range of planning and technical development issues including transport, urban design, social infrastructure and environmental sustainability.
Eco-towns seminar series
This seminar series aimed to generate awareness and understanding of the Government’s Eco-towns initiative, and the skills needed to deliver it. We worked with the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) to deliver these events. The programme was launched in London on 14 December 2007. Between January and May 2008 eight regional seminars were facilitated, open to professionals involved in the creation of sustainable communities.
Housing and Neighbourhoods Monitor
This site provides analysis of housing and neighbourhoods trends across the UK. It has been developed as part of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's Housing and Neighbourhoods Monitor project. It aims to:
Housing and the Environment - A Greener Future
How can we meet the carbon challenge in the housing sector? The impact of housing and communities on the environment has well been acknowledged, from new developments to existing homes to behaviour and culture. Housing contributes approximately 30% of carbon emissions in the UK posing a significant challenge for the sector; resulting in the need for a change in the ways that housing and neighbourhoods are developed and maintained.
How to Meet the Code for Sustainable Homes
Lessons from current practice This half-day seminar will provide practical and timely information on how to meet the Code which you can take away and apply to your own projects. All new homes will have to meet the CO 2 reduction target of Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes (25% lower than current Building Regulations) from next year onwards with a timetable of tougher targets over coming years. An increasing number of local planning authorities require new homes to achieve certain Code levels.
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)
New Solutions for Changing Times
Community Land Trusts 2009 - a chance to examine new ideas for affordable housing and local economies. Community land trusts offer a way of providing homes and locally-owned business and community premises that are not at the mercy of the markets. They provide long term affordability and are assets for their communities, not for speculators. Interest in community land trusts has been growing year by year across the political and economic spectrum. Pioneered in rural areas, they are now recognised as a potential solution to urban challenges too.
How to Turn a Place Around - Effective Regeneration
Retail-led regeneration exhausted? How do you manage and deliver the change your town or city needs to turn it around? This one day workshop will take both a strategic and practical approach to revitalising underperforming centres, and look at all stages of the process from the initial proposal through managing and delivering real change.
How to meet the Code for Sustainable Homes
This half-day seminar will provide practical & timely information on how to meet the Code which you can apply to your own projects. All new homes will have to meet the CO 2 reduction target for Code Level 3 next year. An increasing number of local planning authorities require new homes to achieve certain Code levels. Government funded housing has to meet the Code. An understanding of the Code & how it can be achieved is vital if you are involved in delivering new housing. The seminar will:
Shaping Sustainable Communities and Homes Conference
This event will focus on the key issues housing associations, local authorities, LSVTs and ALMOs face in delivering sustainable communities and homes. Who should attend? Directors and Senior managers of ALMOs Local authorities considering stock transfer or in the process of transferring Existing associations working on or participating in a stock transfer Housing management staff Housing association and ALMO board members Housing association development managers Housing association maintenance managers Neighbourhood/Communities managers Staff from organisations who are involved in stock transfer » Location: Maple House, Birmingham » Price: £320 non-members / £255 members » Booking: Visit http://www.housing.org.uk/default.aspx?tabid=1079  to download a brochure and booking form.

Future Communities website
futurecommunities.net is all about community participation and place management, it's been created to help people who build communities. The site shows well presented, clear examples of projects that have created sustainable communities. Additionally the site provides background guidance for people to implement on their own development projects.
Skills for the Downturn: New Approaches to Delivering Housing and Regeneration
This one day workshop will explore how to deal with the downturn and develop practical solutions for professionals working in housing, regeneration and renewal. The day will consider: What the credit crunch means for planning, local government, housing and regeneration; What can be delivered in the current economic climate; How things will be different now the Homes and Communities Agency has been established; and How public-private partnerships can share risk to ensure that regeneration does not flounder. Places are limited. Please register if you are: A professional working in housing, regeneration or renewal. Looking for a practical and interactive session on how to maintain momentum in the current economic downturn. Interested in developing your partnership working, risk sharing and leadership skills.   » Venue: Design Council, Covent Garden » Price: The cost (£195 per participant) is covered by the HCA Academy » There's a programme and flyer to view in the list on the right. Register your interest by contacting Gerry Dallas on: gerry.dallas@hca.gsx.gov.uk  / 0113 3944637
The Future of Housing?
A one-day conference exploring the current state of the housing market organised by the Homes and Communities Agency and Society Guardian. Key players will be brought together to seek solutions and discover new ways of working. Delegates will debate and discuss issues, including: Quality of homes; Social housing tenants; Retaining key skills and staff; Creating sustainable communities; Changing UK demographics; and Funding and the mortgage market. Prices: Range from £250 - £495 Venue: Congress Centre, London » Booking and more details:   http://www.guardian.co.uk/futurehousing
Brownfield Skills Strategy - Background
The Brownfield Skills Strategy aims to boost skills that will ensure the effective and efficient reuse of brownfield land. The Government aims to build 3 million new homes by 2020, with at least 60% to be built on redeveloped brownfield sites. Our research has shown that by 2012 there could be a minimum workforce shortfall of 75%, or 680,000 workers, engaged in brownfield development, including 300,000 engineers and developers and 140,000 surveyors.
Planning for Non-Planners
Two day course to help those from a non-planning background to understand the planning system. The course will help you Understand how your day-to-day responsibilities are affected by planning issues Identify how you can engage better with the planning system Gain a better understanding of how far the planning system can contribute to successful and sustainable regeneration The course is composed of interactive seminar sessions and group workshops. There are also study tours, where you get the chance to use your knowledge to assess local development sites from a planning perspective. You can participate in two ways: Public sessions open to all Tailor-made group sessions Upcoming open sessions of the course Birmingham – 30 & 31 March 2010 Leeds – 6 & 7 April 2010 There are more details of each event in the links alongside.
Eldonian book tells story of a community reborn
A book celebrating the Eldonians community in Liverpool has been published to provide an example of successful urban renewal. 'The Rebirth of Liverpool - The Eldonian Way' was funded by ASC. The book chronicles the last 30 years of the award-winning Eldonian Village development, largely using the residents' own words. In 1977, people living in tenements in the Eldonian Village in the Vauxhall district faced demolition of their homes and dispersal across Liverpool. However, they defeated the plans and worked with professionals to create an exemplar sustainable community, which is managed by the people who live in the area.
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
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

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