North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has unveiled a major new Plan for Homes aimed at tackling the housing crisis and delivering more than 15,000 social and affordable homes across the North East over the next decade.
The Mayor’s Plan for Homes, approved by Cabinet today, sets out a decade of action to unlock the sites that have remained out of reach for too long. It will support the delivery of high-quality, energy-efficient homes, drive regeneration, strengthen local communities and ensure housing growth is aligned with jobs, transport and wider investment across the region.
The plan comes as many families across the North East continue to face rising housing costs, growing pressure on household budgets and increasing difficulty accessing affordable homes in the communities where they want to live.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:”Families are stuck on waiting lists, young people are priced out of the places they grew up in, and too many households are spending more and more of their income simply keeping a roof over their heads. Today, that changes.
“A safe, secure and affordable home should be within reach for everyone and my Plan for Homes is how we’ll make that happen. We’re sorting out the housing crisis by delivering more social and affordable homes, getting cracking with stalled developments and working region-wide to tackle homelessness.”
This will build on the thousands of homes already unlocked through the Mayor’s Brownfield Housing Fund, which has seen developments completed and hundreds of homes built in Blyth, Newbiggin Hall and Whitley Bay so far.
Backed by £143m from the National Housing Delivery Fund, the plan will unlock 4,600 homes by 2030, including 2,900 homes by March 2029 and a further 1,700 homes in 2029/30.
John Johnston, Bernicia Chief Executive and Chair of the North East Housing Partnership, said: “We welcome the Mayor’s Plan for Homes and the ambition she has set out for the region. As a partnership, we understand the importance of a safe, secure and affordable home and the difference it can make to people’s lives, as well as the role housing can play in supporting economic growth. The plan not only sets out the scale of the challenges we face as a region but also offers a range of solutions including investment in brownfield regeneration, shaping the funding for social and affordable homes and delivering investment in construction skills. We are looking forward to working closely with the Mayor, local authorities, Homes England and partners to deliver against the plan and ensure housing supports thriving, sustainable communities across our region.”
The £143m National Housing Delivery Fund will be used to overcome the barriers that stop homes being built, including abnormal costs, infrastructure constraints, land remediation and viability challenges.
The Mayor’s plan will see the Mayoral Strategic Authority work with the region’s seven local authorities, Homes England, housing providers and developers, with the Mayor leading a shared push to bring forward a stronger housing pipeline and accelerate delivery across the North East.
More information on the Mayor’s Plan for Homes can be viewed here.