ONE IN TWO HOUSING PROFESSIONALS IS REPORTING AN INCREASE IN THE DEMAND FOR SOCIAL HOUSING AS A RESULT OF THE CREDIT CRUNCH, ACCORDING TO A NEW SURVEY FROM THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF HOUSING (CIH).

Members of CIH are indicating that the rise in home repossession orders is the main reason for the increase in demand. In addition, nearly 60 per cent of CIH members are indicating that the risk of homelessness is rising in their areas. This latest trend will continue to place increasing pressure on the social housing sector, which already has an estimated 1.6 million households on the waiting list.

The Housing Corporation is the Government agency responsible for investing in new affordable homes and regulating nearly 2,000 housing associations across England. Its biggest ever investment programme of £3.9 billion for 2006-08 will fund 84,000 homes; 49,000 of these will be for affordable rent, and 35,000 will be for affordable sale through the Government's new HomeBuy initiative, helping people to get a foot on the property ladder.

Just over a year ago, the Housing Corporation launched two new publications which highlighted the importance of design and quality in affordable housing - the first revision since 2003 of what was originally called Scheme Development Standards'.

Design and Quality Strategy set out the steps that the Corporation proposed to take to ensure housing providers respond to new building and design challenges. Design and Quality Standards was the first revision for four years of these requirements for new-built affordable housing. Together they set out the standards that developments funded through the Corporation's multi-billion pound 2008 National Affordable Housing Programme will need to meet.

DESIGN AND QUALITY STRATEGY SET OUT A STRATEGY THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED AND ENFORCED ACROSS A RANGE OF CORPORATION DEVELOPMENTS AND IN A WIDE VARIETY OF COMMUNITIES.

RECOGNISING THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY, MIXED COMMUNITIES, THE IMPORTANCE OF ENFORCEMENT AND THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF TENANTS IN ENSURING HIGH QUALITY DESIGN, THE STRATEGY:

• PLACES A STRONG FOCUS ON BETTER DESIGN - ENDEAVOURING TO CREATE AN OPERATING ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH GOOD DESIGN IS ENCOURAGED AND REWARDED;
• COMMITS THE CORPORATION TO CONTINUING TO INCENTIVISE HIGHER STANDARDS AS PART OF ITS ASSESSMENT PROCESS;
• IDENTIFIES HOW THE CORPORATION WILL MONITOR OUTCOMES AND DEAL WITH POOR PERFORMANCE. DESIGN AND QUALITY STANDARDS SET OUT THE CORPORATION'S REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALL NEW HOMES WHICH WILL RECEIVE CORPORATION FUNDING, INCLUDING:
• A STREAMLINED APPROACH TO STANDARD SETTING - TOWARDS THREE CORE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR THE INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT, EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY;
• HOMES STRONGER ON SUSTAINABILITY - BASED UPON ACHIEVING A MINIMUM OF THE CODE FOR SUSTAINABLE HOMES LEVEL 3;
• SPECIFIC ADDITIONAL STANDARDS FOR HIGHER DENSITY FAMILY HOUSING;
• BME PROVISION, SUPPORTED HOUSING AND HOUSING FOR OLDER PEOPLE. 

Copies of all publications are available on the Housing Corporation's website - www.housingcorp.gov.uk.

In the first of a regular analysis, Housing Specification introduces on the next few pages some of the 15 schemes spotlighted by the Housing Corporation under their Design Focus and at others – really some of the best social housing designs which have proved to be both workable and successful and, importantly, highly received by the residents who very often have been closely involved in the work.

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