Tag: housing

Bishop of St Albans on the importance of affordable housing, broadband and innovation to the rural economy

Bishop St Albans June 2015On the 27th April 2016, Baroness McItosh of Pickering led a Lords debate “to ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the state of the rural economy.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith,  highlighted the need for more affordable housing, business innovation and greater access to broadband and mobile coverage. 

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, my thanks go to the noble Baroness, Lady McIntosh, for securing the debate. I will focus on three areas that I believe are crucial to creating a strong, dynamic rural economy.

First, I underline the importance of affordable housing in creating sustainable rural communities at a time when rural house prices continue to be pushed well beyond the reach of many local residents. A failure to provide for local people and local families to live and work in rural areas leaves the rural economy seriously inhibited. An affordable housing supply, available to local workers on low and middle incomes, is an essential feature of the rural economy, providing homes, and, in many cases, workplaces for those who would work in rural areas. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans on the importance of affordable housing, broadband and innovation to the rural economy”

Divisions: Housing and Planning Bill

On 27th April 2016 votes took place on amendments to the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill at its Third Reading. The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, took part: Continue reading “Divisions: Housing and Planning Bill”

Housing and Planning Bill: Bishop of Leeds supports amendment on affordable rural housing

BpLeeds2On 25th April 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill at its Report Stage. The Bishop of Leeds, Rt Revd Nick Baines, spoke in support of an amendment to the Bill that had been co-sponsored by the Bishop of St Albans. In introducing the amendment, Labour Peer Baroness Royall said:

“This amendment does not in any way seek to undermine the Government’s plans to increase the number of homes built on small sites. We need more homes in rural areas. It merely seeks to ensure that local authorities will still be able to meet the affordable housing needs of their rural communities in ways appropriate to their circumstances.”

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I support this amendment. My diocese covers vast and diverse rural areas. The issue that is constantly raised by those who live there is affordable housing for their children. We too often use the language of protection or preservation when we should be talking about development and creating the future. If we end up with small rural communities without young people in them, which in some cases is what is happening, we will have a problem 20, 30, 40 or 50 years down the line. I support the amendment and trust that we will give due attention to it. Continue reading “Housing and Planning Bill: Bishop of Leeds supports amendment on affordable rural housing”

Housing and Planning Bill: Bishop of Coventry supports increased controls on Starter Homes

Bp Coventry May 2015On 11th April 2016, the House of Lords debated the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill at its Report stage. Lord Best and Lord Beecham tabled amendments to increase the period for which Starter Homes had to be sold at a discount. The Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Revd Christopher Cocksworth, spoke in support of these amendments, and Baroness Williams of Trafford responded on behalf of the government. In a subsequent vote, amendment 1 was passed by 275 votes to 181.

 

Lord Bishop of Coventry: My Lords, I apologise for not engaging with the Bill at an earlier stage. Other colleagues from this Bench who have engaged with it are unable to be here today. I declare an interest: I have five children, and I worry very much about how they will own their own properties. Two have already managed to; the other three will need to work on it. It will be a little bit difficult for them. They will not have a great deal from me to help them, as they come from a clergy family. That is my second declaration of interest. Living on a clergy stipend for most of my adult life and living in clergy accommodation means that I have got to know the letting world reasonably well as a way of trying to make provision for my future and my family’s future when I am evicted from my house at some point. Continue reading “Housing and Planning Bill: Bishop of Coventry supports increased controls on Starter Homes”

Housing Bill: Bishop of St Albans puts amendment to require assessment of needs of Gypsies and Travellers

On 17th March 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill in committee. The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, spoke to an amendment he had tabled, which was co-sponsored by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Williams of Oystermouth. The amendment, to clause 115 of the Bill, concerned the requirement on local authorities to assess the needs of Gypsies and Travellers. It was withdrawn after debate, as is usual at committee.The Bishops’ speech and the Minister’s response are below:

THE LORD BISHOP OF ST ALBANS
BARONESS BAKEWELL OF HARDINGTON MANDEVILLE
BARONESS WHITAKER
LORD WILLIAMS OF OYSTERMOUTH

82H Page 53, line 1, leave out subsection (2)

 

StAlbans171115The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I shall speak to Amendment 82H, which has broad support across this House. This is a simple probing amendment that would seek to retain Sections 225 and 226 of the Housing Act 2004 in legislation, requiring local authorities to undertake a direct assessment of Gypsy and Traveller needs. I shall also speak to Amendment 82GD, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Beecham, which may point towards an alternative way forward. Continue reading “Housing Bill: Bishop of St Albans puts amendment to require assessment of needs of Gypsies and Travellers”

Housing and Planning Bill: Bishop of St Albans argues for rural housing association homes to be exempt from right to buy plans

On 8th March 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill in committee. The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, supported an amendment to clause 62 of the Bill, on social housing and the right to buy. The amendment, which was withdrawn after debate, sought to prevent right to buy applying to housing association properties in rural areas unless in exceptional cases.

Bishop St Albans June 2015The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I support Amendment 56, tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Royall, to which I have added my name. I, along with other noble Lords, have received a number of letters from people living in rural areas who are deeply concerned at what seem the inevitable consequences if this issue is not addressed.

The major force of this amendment, as the noble Baroness pointed out, would be to change the emphasis in the current right-to-buy arrangement from one in which housing associations can choose to exempt themselves from exercising right to buy in rural areas, as per the current agreement, to one in which housing associations would be unable to exercise right to buy in rural areas, unless in exceptional cases, as set out in proposed new subsection (1A) of the amendment.

The rationale for the amendment is pretty simple. Affordable housing should not be sold off in communities where it will not be replaced. Continue reading “Housing and Planning Bill: Bishop of St Albans argues for rural housing association homes to be exempt from right to buy plans”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about affordable housing for those on low incomes

On 1st March 2016 Lord Kennedy of Southwark asked Her Majesty’s Government “what action they are taking to help people on the living wage in London to own their own homes.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked a follow up question:

 

StAlbans171115The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, there is much concern that the focus on starter homes could threaten the provision of alternative housing schemes that are more suitable for those on low incomes, such as shared ownership. Will the Minister assure the House that Her Majesty’s Government’s emphasis on these starter homes will be in addition to other affordable schemes such as shared ownership rather than replacing them?

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about affordable housing for those on low incomes”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about housebuilding in flood areas

StAlbans171115On the 10th February 2016 the Bishop of St Albans received two written answers about housing and flooding.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many new housing developments were built in the period 2010 to 2015 against advice given by the Environment Agency. [HL5516] Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about housebuilding in flood areas”

Bishop of Rochester says regenerating housing estates is about investing in more than just buildings

On 9th February 2016 Baroness Janke asked Her Majesty’s Government “whether they will provide further information on their proposals for renewal or replacement of failed housing estates, following the announcement by the Prime Minister of £140 million funding; and whether any additional funding will be made available.” The Bishop of Rochester, Rt Revd James Langstaff, asked a follow up question:

RochesterThe Lord Bishop of Rochester: My Lords, I speak as one who lived on one of these estates for some 10 years in the 1980s and 1990s at a time when significant public money was invested in that estate. My memory, looking back with the benefit of hindsight, is that we probably gave relatively too much attention to physical investment and not enough to investment in other kinds of infrastructure. Will the Minister assure me that, while attention is given to the physical fabric, whether that is new or renewed, equal attention—maybe even over and above the £140 million, or another £140 million—will be given to such matters as educational, social and economic infrastructure?

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The right reverend Prelate makes a really good point about regeneration being about not just the physical structures that are in place but some of the social structures that are in place to support communities, and other amenities, as he said, such as schools, hospitals and GP surgeries, that so often are not thought about when we think about regeneration.

(via Parliament.uk)

 

Bishop of St Albans asks about new housebuilding on floodplains

On 4th February 2016 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, received a written answer to a question on flooding.

StAlbans171115The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of new houses built in each of the years from 2010 to 2015 were built on floodplains, and whether they expect that proportion to change in the next five years. [HL5515]

 

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about new housebuilding on floodplains”