Hundreds sign up to AJ-backed architects’ affordable housing campaign

In the weeks leading up to last week’s election, the AJ threw its weight behind the ‘positive’ manifesto for change put forward by the Architects’ Action for Affordable Housing collective. The group is made up of Pitman Tozer, HTA Design, Bell Phillips, Assael and Grounded, alongside Stirling Prize-winners Mae and Mikhail Riches.

They have now been joined by scores of other major practices including Adam Khan Architects, Alison Brooks Architects, Collective Architecture, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Haworth Tompkins, Heatherwick Studio, Henley Halebrown, Levitt Bernstein, Maccreanor Lavington, Mole Architects, Morris + Company, PRP, Sergison Bates, and vPPR (see full list below).

Organisations such as the Quality of Life Foundation, the Architecture Foundation and the London Forum of Amenity & Civic Societies have also signed up – as have hundreds more individuals.

The group is still calling for ‘as many architects as possible’ to join the campaign, which continues to push affordable housing into the political spotlight. Among other demands, the campaigners are urging the new Labour government to back a 20-year housing plan that provides a fair and equitable supply of homes where they are most needed.

Among the main policies set out under the five ‘priority’ heads, is a call to promote the role of the housing minister to cabinet, giving the position more power, and to avoid the ‘revolving door’ of politicians overseeing the delivery of housing.

On Friday (5 July) Angela Rayner was officially appointed as secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities. The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne has held the housing brief in Labour’s shadow cabinet since 2023.

Rayner had promised to deliver 40 per cent affordable homes within all new development as part of Labour’s plan for a new generation of new towns.

Architects’ Action for Affordable Housing believes a potential boom in affordable housing numbers would result in ‘economic prosperity for all’ and feed into all of the party’s growth agenda.

Its online manifesto calls for better resources to be given to council planning departments, all new social housing to meet RIBA 2030 carbon targets, the equalisation of VAT between new-builds and retrofits, the reduction in the Right To Buy subsidy, and boosting self-build through tax breaks and the release of public land.

It also calls for the introduction of a retrofit first policy.

Speaking the day after Labour’s landslide victory, a spokesperson for the campaign group said: ‘Our campaign continues to raise the importance and ambition for affordable housing, as an engine of growth, to deliver on climate targets, skills, social equity along with personal and community empowerment.

‘Far too many people are suffering in unsuitable housing, from bed and breakfast temporary accommodation, to expensive, leaky and damp and overcrowded homes on the private market. As a society we are all living with the consequences – poorer health, poorer education and less economic growth.’

They added: ‘The new government has the opportunity to raise its ambition and deliver more and better affordable housing, to fulfil and build on the promise of its manifesto. It can show that a long-term, planned, stable approach can provide the homes we all need for the long term.

‘[We] have the desire and the skills to help the new government achieve these goals, and look forward to holding an event and to working with them in the coming days.’

The AJ has acted as media partner for the campaign and has already run a series of pieces outlining how the policies could work, how they could be implemented and what impact they might have.

AJ editor Emily Booth said: ‘We support the profession and we are pleased to back this architects-led campaign, with its practical and positive actions to tackle the housing crisis.

‘The industry is ready and willing to be a part of a new drive to create better homes for everyone.’

Architects wanting to support the campaign can go to the website or email mail@5affordablehousingpriorities.co.uk

Source:Jim Stephenson 2021