New research will contribute to meeting the target of 3 million new homes by 2020, announced by Gordon Brown last week...

The work will help key players in delivery of new affordable housing to increase the speed and output of development by better managing the supply of land.

The Housing Corporation and English Partnerships have commissioned the Chartered Institute of Housing and Oxford Brookes University to carry out an important project examining the management of land supply for delivery of affordable housing.

CIH will work in partnership with leading academics based in the Department of Real Estate and Construction and the Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development (OISD) at Oxford Brookes University and Richard Bate, planning consultant, to deliver the year-long project.

Vital issue

Management of land supply for new housing is a vital issue for policy makers, housing providers and households because of the need to greatly increase house building and create sustainable communities. The price and availability of suitable land pose significant challenges for delivery of these objectives.

The project will consider how the supply of land for affordable housing is identified, acquired, and brought forward for development in different contexts. It will look at the behaviour of housing developers, planning departments, and public bodies who own land. From this analysis the project team will make suggestions around good practice in land supply management, and set challenges for practitioners and policy makers to improve outcomes.

Sarah Webb, CIH Deputy Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to be involved with this project. Recent government announcements show the importance of management of land supply to the delivery of more housing in sustainable communities. We’re keen to help housing professionals and the new housing and regeneration body to improve policy and practice in this area so they can support delivery of national priorities.”

Cornerstone of housing policy

Richard Hill, Director of investment at the Housing Corporation said:  “There is no greater barrier to the delivery of more, affordable homes than shortages of available land.  We expect this work to play a part in unlocking supply by improving understanding between our delivery partners - local authorities and affordable housing providers  - of how  best to manage residential land supply.“

Tim Dixon, Professor of Real Estate and Co-Director of OISD said: “We are delighted to be working with the Chartered Institute of Housing on what is now a key cornerstone of national housing policy. We believe that we can bring an independent focus to the research and see the project as helping synthesise best practice from both the public and private sectors, so that more affordable homes can be delivered”.