Government can lead from the front and build back better homes for everyone

COMMENT Our existing housing stock is in need of substantive, planned renewal. The furore over the money needed to replace dangerous cladding has highlighted not only the scale of that problem but also wider issues that have previously been hidden. It is clear that other related problems – such as poor compartmentalisation – could prove just as expensive as the cladding crisis. The impact on new rented and social housing provision will be significant. Already many social housing and private sector landlords are diverting money away from new development to make existing homes safe. Consequently, thousands fewer new homes will be built. This is not a one-year problem – the scale of this work will impact at least the next five years of capital works. This comes just as we need to make our housing stock carbon neutral and climate change resilient. Policies such as the Future Homes Standard focus on new building but we still need to retrofit 29m existing homes across the UK. It’s a once-in-a-generation change. Joined-up approach Ministers, landlords and the property industry could be forgiven for dealing with each problem on its own – to tackle the fire safety problems now and worry about the climate later. That would be a big mistake. We have an opportunity to tackle these issues holistically and in doing so achieve lasting change for people’s homes. First, we need government to establish a joint government and industry Task Force for Housing Renewal, co-chaired by a minister and senior industry leader. The task force would be responsible for leading the drive to make our existing homes fit for the future in terms of safety and sustainability, and “age-proof”. Its remit should include all tenures, with sector-specific plans for owner occupation, private rented and social housing. Second, the Homes Renewal Programme should be recognised by the Treasury in the same way as major infrastructure works. Fiscal incentives and other financial tools need to be drawn together and lever in private investment, including for the social housing sector. Third, the Homes Renewal Programme needs to oversee a substantial skills and training programme, not least to train designers, builders and installers for low-carbon heating, energy and water efficiency and flood resilience. This is an opportunity to train a new generation, but also, through quality courses and accreditation, avoid the problems with building quality we’ve seen in recent years. Playing catch-up? Fourth, the Homes Renewal Programme should set clear national standards but recognise that works will be delivered locally. It will need to create a robust regulatory and enforcement regime, which can operate locally and which also enables the public to challenge and seek redress for when things go wrong. Clearly, fire safety works need to happen over the next year or so. Any long-term programme would therefore need to ensure that they can proceed, but that works undertaken do not make future sustainability works more costly or difficult. Finally, the programme will also need to ensure that homes are “age-proof”. This is vital as our population ages. Many older people’s homes today aren’t fit for their occupants’ needs, and some would be difficult to substantially change. However, many could be improved to become accessible, and the task force needs to look at how reform of the disabled facilities grant and boosting home improvement agencies could ensure that more older people can live independently for longer. To date, the government has been accused of playing catch-up in dealing with the fallout from Grenfell. There is an opportunity here to lead from the front and to build back better homes for everyone. Mark Prisk is a former housing and construction minister and MP