The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) responds to the £39bn commitment to social and affordable housing, announced on 2 July, in the government’s Spending Review and the confirmation that 60% of homes delivered will be for social rent.
RIBA President, Muyiwa Oki said:
“We welcome the initial details of the government’s £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes programme.
The government’s projected total of 180,000 social homes over the coming decade is certainly a step in the right direction, and it is vital that this commitment to social housing delivery is maintained throughout the lifetime of the programme.
These measures still fall short of the estimated 90,000 social homes we should be building every year to meet need.
This means we must also encourage long-term thinking about how we will finance and supply enough social housing. There are no easy answers, but innovative new delivery models, such as those laid out in our Foundations for the Future report should be a viable and sustainable part of the solution.
The new Council Housebuilding Skills and Capacity Programme is another positive step towards this. But the initial £12 million set aside to fund it is unlikely to mitigate the existing capacity and skills gaps, which must be filled to enable local authorities to deliver.
Focus on delivery must not come at the expense of prioritising the quality of both existing and new housing stock. As such, we are pleased to see that the government is updating and modernising the Decent Homes Standard.
These announcements are encouraging, and we look forward to the publication of the long-term housing strategy to further outline the government’s plan to boost the delivery of high-quality, affordable, and sustainable housing across the country.”
Notes to editors:
- Media contact Nancy.Ludwig@riba.org
- The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a global professional membership body that serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment. Follow @RIBA on X/Twitter for regular updates.
