New Community Research
People understand the vital role of housing associations (HAs) – but there is scope to do more
As the dust settles following Labour’s landslide election victory, it’s a good time to understand how the nation perceives the social housing sector and the role they believe we should play in the UK’s future.
That was the thinking behind our survey of 2,000 UK adults where we asked them to tell us what housing challenges they face and what must be done to build (or help rebuild) communities across the country. Read on below to hear more about the findings and what we're doing to address these things in our work across our communities.
We’re entering a new phase with a change in government and with representatives across the political spectrum at both a local and central level. The decisions made in the next few months will guide the direction of the housing industry for years to come.
Perhaps more so than at any point in the last 14 years, housing associations have a crucial role to play in setting that direction and seeing it through. The communities we serve demand, and deserve, that of us. We must do our best to fulfil that duty.
Bjorn Howard, Group CEO of Aster Group
Our New Community research found that just over half (54%) of people agree that housing associations currently perform a vital role in their community, compared to just 10% that disagree. The proportion rises to 60% among people living in social or council housing.
Large swathes of the population see housing associations as part of the solution to the UK’s housing challenges. That is a clear mandate, but one that we can’t take for granted. There is much more to do.
Our research uncovered a range of issues, concerns and expectations. But three clear asks from the British public came through loud and clear.
1. Build more affordable homes
About two-thirds (64%) of people said that there wasn’t enough affordable housing available in their area. Respondents said they would like to see more affordable rent (47%), homes to buy (30%), social rent (25%) and affordable ownership schemes such as shared ownership (23%).
With a new government in place, there is a real opportunity for our sector to supercharge its delivery ambitions and meet these expectations.
Demand for shared ownership specifically shone through in our data. Some 60% of respondents agreed that there should be more shared ownership homes available in their area, once the way the scheme works was explained to them.
We’ve helped countless people on to the ownership ladder through shared ownership and seen how important the scheme is in providing security, pride in one’s homes and giving people an opportunity to lay down roots. To hear from some of our customers, click here to read/listen to their stories of using shared ownership to secure a home.
It’s perhaps telling of the affordability crisis in London that the figure rose to 66% among people who live inside the M25. But it is also reflective of a system where shared ownership schemes in the capital are too often regarded as more of a temporary fix, rather than the home for life that it is in other areas of the country, including across the south of England which is our operating heartland.
We’ve just started construction on our first two affordable developments inside the M25 – in Silvertown and Southall. A big part of our London mission is to increase the number of affordable homes in the capital.
Outside of London, shared ownership properties are more likely to be houses, not the apartments normally found in the city, which better lend themselves to laying down roots and making a long-term home. Shared ownership in London can be more like the product found in the regions, but unlocking more land for homes outside of the capital will inevitably be essential to improving homeownership aspirations.
To find out more about the hundreds of new homes we’re delivering, click here.
64% of people said there was not enough social housing in their area
2. Maintain affordability in flourishing communities
Two-thirds (64%) of people say a sense of community is important when deciding where they live. But there is a significant proportion of people that are priced out of experiencing that sense of place and community and living where they want to.
Four in ten (39%) say they live somewhere other than where they would ideally like to live. Among that group, they cite high house prices and rent (68%) and not enough social housing options (40%) as the reasons for being shut out of where they want to be.
Aside from housing, feeling safe (37%), healthcare services (33%), green spaces, footpaths and play parks (30%) and a thriving high street (24%) were the most important factors in creating a sense of community.
It’s important that prospering towns don’t become too expensive for the people that contribute so much to the local economy. Affordable-first developments – like our 122-home project in Cheltenham – are essential to redressing the balance of housing costs. Homes in Cheltenham are £100,000 more expensive than the national average – affordable homes are critical to ensuring the people who keep the town going are able to stay.
Building homes is just one part of the puzzle. Yes, we need more housing but, alongside that, investment is needed to turn the places where people live into places they think of as ‘home’.
39% of people said they don't live where they want to
3. Put communities at the heart of housing
The vast majority (69%) of people think local communities should have a greater say over the housing built in their area. Many of our survey respondents called for new measures to give communities more of a voice including recognised resident committees that are consulted on planning applications (40%), email polls by councils on proposed new developments (34%), housing developments that are directly owned by community groups (31%) and replacing planning committees with citizen assemblies (31%).
"It’s time we empowered local communities to shape the places they call home."
While some might see this as delivering greater opportunity for NIMBYism, actually our research found a different conclusion: namely that communities don’t want more power to block housing development, they want more of a say in shaping it.
A community land trust (CLT) is a non-profit organisation, run by local people, that owns, develops and maintains land for the benefit of the community – typically providing affordable homes, community gardens and buildings, energy schemes and conservation projects.
Two-thirds (67%) of respondents to our survey were supportive of more housing being built and managed by CLTs, once the concept had been explained to them. In fact, four in ten (39%) said they would be interested in being involved in a CLT if one was set up in their area.
We’re one of the most active CLT developers in the UK, with 13 completed to date and seven such projects due to start over the next year. We’ve seen firsthand just how effective they can be in freeing up pockets of land that are too small for large-scale developers and ensuring homes suit local need.
For example, our partnership with Transition Homes CLT in Totnes is delivering affordable energy efficient homes in the town. They will be built with the express intention of ensuring local residents have homes that are prepared for future energy efficiency requirements as the UK continues its journey to net zero.
39% of people think local communities should have a greater say over the housing built in their area.