Our response to the government's Housing White Paper

Design Council Cabe today welcomes the government’s Housing White Paper, which sets out a clear approach to boosting housing supply. In the White Paper, local authorities, housing associations and smaller developers will be encouraged to build more as the government sets out how it plans to meet a target of 1m new homes by 2020.

Clare Devine, Executive Director for Architecture, Built Environment & Design, said: “Design Council Cabe welcomes this important announcement to create sufficient, quality housing for everyone. The principles set out in the White Paper must ensure that well-designed homes are accessible and inclusive for all. Housing, delivered in tandem with investment in infrastructure, is fundamental to maintaining the economic success of the country. High-quality planned development supports more socially and economically vibrant places, which in turn create inclusive and active environments where people want to live and work.” 

Building on the government’s Industrial Strategy, which outlined the need for infrastructure and housing delivery, the White Paper identifies the mechanisms and policy for delivering well-designed environments that are inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

The principles set out in the White Paper must ensure that well-designed homes are accessible and inclusive for all.

Clare Devine, Design Council

“Whether rented or privately owned, housing development must work for everyone in a community,” Devine explained. “The focus the White Paper places on having up-to-date local plans, diversification in housing products and providing multiple types and tenures of housing is important to achieve real momentum in volume and quality.”

Joint working and delivering housing in partnership between developers, landowners and local authorities is essential. When delivering development – whether garden villages, urban renewal or estate regeneration – clarity of vision, partnership working and understanding the benefits of inward investment and growth are critical to achieving success.

An individual development is only one element to placemaking. Understanding the bigger picture and how large-scale housing growth can support the delivery of successful, thriving places is key. Local authorities and planners need to be clear about what they want to see out of new developments and engage directly with communities and developers when building this vision.

Working in partnership to harness the skills to deliver growth is vital, and we welcome the focus on increased local authority resourcing.

Clare Devine, Design Council

“Much of the work Design Council Cabe undertakes across England is to provide brokering and enabling support to places undergoing change at various scales”, Devine continued. “Working in partnership to harness the skills to deliver growth is vital, and we welcome the focus on increased local authority resourcing. The skills and expertise available within local authorities is something that is increasingly subject to change and challenge. We hope that the government’s new measures will help to secure the skills needed and harness the determination at a local level necessary to drive quality and quantity.”