The Architects’ Journal Architecture News & Buildings
The ‘positive’ manifesto for change has been put forward by the Architects' Action for Affordable Housing collective, made up of Pitman Tozer, HTA Design, Bell Phillips, Assael and Grounded, alongside Stirling Prize-winners Mae and Mikhail Riches.
The group is calling for ‘as many architects as possible’ to join the campaign, which aims to push affordable housing into the political spotlight ahead of the general election on 4 July. The campaigners are urging the next government to back a 20-year housing plan that provides a fair and equitable supply of homes where they are most needed.
Among the demands 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.
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It is an idea already gathering momentum in the profession.
The campaigners believe a potential boom in affordable housing numbers would result in ‘economic prosperity for all’ and feed into all of the parties’ growth agendas.
The 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.
Luke Tozer of Pitman Tozer said: ‘Now is the moment to act to raise affordable housing up the political agenda and effect change.
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‘Our industry needs to find better ways of providing the affordable homes society deserves. As architects, we can help improve housing through design, planning and advocacy, and we have come together to demand that the next government do better.
Now’s the moment to act to raise affordable housing up the political agenda
‘We are calling for positive change that will take a collective effort to achieve. Please join our campaign.’
Mikhail Riches co-founder Annalie Riches said: ‘As architects we have sat on the sidelines watching policy after policy fail to provide the numbers and quality of housing that this country needs.
‘We want to be part of the solution and, as creative problem solvers involved in housing from conception to delivery and beyond, we're in a great position to offer advice to an incoming government as to how to implement sorely needed change.’
As architects we have sat on the sidelines watching policy after policy fail
Assael director Félicie Krikler added: ‘Over the last few years, the Grenfell tragedy, Covid pandemic, and ongoing climate emergency have all shone a light on to the housing inequalities in the UK.
‘And at a time when we are more aware than ever of the impact housing has on us, we cannot understate the difference a safe and secure home has on physical and mental health, access to employment, and overall quality of life. As architects, we are coming together to raise affordable housing as a priority for the next government.’
The AJ is acting as media partner for the campaign and will be running 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.
‘Any new government should take note. 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
The proposed priorities for an incoming government – in full
(1) Prioritise affordable housing to deliver growth
1.1 National Plan: Establish a cross-party working group to produce a 20-year National Affordable Housing plan.
1.2 Minister: Elevate the importance of housing to a cabinet position, avoiding the revolving door of housing ministerial appointment.
1.3 Planning: Better resources for local authority planning departments and associated design resources, with higher planning fees, and a shared vision and mission to provide more affordable housing.
1.4 Reward growth: Incentivise the industry with higher grant rates for a higher percentage of affordable housing in each scheme.
(2) Link net zero and affordable housing policies
2.1 Link social housing supply to net-zero goals. All social housing to be designed to adopt RIBA 2030 targets (operational energy/embodied Carbon/water/health and wellbeing). Ensure new housing is planned around low-carbon public transport infrastructure.
2.2 Introduce a decarbonisation hierarchy. Retrofit first. Promote passive measures to reduce operational carbon.
2.3 Finance: Link energy efficiency to stamp duty: more efficient homes = less stamp duty. Equalise VAT between new-builds and retrofits to level playing field.
2.4 Create incentives for regenerative building material supplies (UK forestry).
(3) Build a resilient, fair and sustainable industry
3.1 Establish a green building knowledge exchange with international partners to develop zero-carbon construction skills and technologies capable of adoption at scale.
3.2 Grow the workforce of tomorrow by reforming the apprenticeship levy to enable a new generation of skilled construction workers.
3.3 Legislate to ensure suppliers and freelance contractors are protected from exploitative contract and payment terms.
3.4 Support regenerative material production and skills to increase local supply chains and a green economy.
(4) Create equity in housing supply
4.1 Reduce Right To Buy subsidy: steadily diminish subsidy over term or parliament.
4.2 Planned approach: Develop regional spatial plans to generate employment where housing is affordable and sustainable energy infrastructure available. Ensure integrated urbanism – prioritise sites with social infrastructure and employment opportunities included in schemes.
4.3 Regulate: Local Plans to mandate sites mix of type, tenure and development quantum, and to address specialist needs (later living etc) and set affordable housing percentage as a requirement not a target.
4.4 Establish a Royal Commission for the temporary accommodation emergency.
(5) Empower a self-build and community housing drive
5.1 Create tax incentives for self-build homes (zero stamp duty).
5.2 Establish fund for government mortgage finance for self-build homes.
5.3 Allocate public land for wider adoption of self-build and community housing.
5.4 Provide specific funding for community housing and to incentivise multigenerational communities and homes.
Source:Jim Stephenson 2021
Jay Morton, associate, Bell Phillips
The housing crisis has been debated by industry professionals and architects for almost 20 years. Enough talking; now it is time for action.
Architects have a role to play in advising whoever wins on 4 July to ensure more affordable housing at a quality the country deserves.
Simon Bayliss, managing partner, HTA Design
The future health and prosperity of the UK depends on radical action on housing by the next government. Failure to fund the building of sufficient numbers of good quality and affordable homes over more than a decade has turned a long running crisis into a housing emergency.
As citizens we wish to ensure that the next government wakes up to this emergency and takes decisive action on housebuilding. As architects we are committed to ensuring that new homes are genuinely sustainable, in lastingly popular places.
Well said Richard, couldn’t agree more with the ideas.
A bit surprised with the omission of addressing the broken procurement process for design services. We suggest that a fairer, more equitable approach to the procurement process be part of the campaign.