Report

New house rules

This report from UK think tank Re:State sets out the case for a radical restructure of the Government’s housing and regeneration system.

Housebuilding is at the heart of the Government’s agenda. For decades, England’s efforts to develop, build, and regenerate have stagnated, creating a national housing shortage. Efforts to reboot economic growth hinge upon a step-change in these efforts. In this context, Government’s parallel plans for a “devolution revolution” and a curtailment of the use of ‘quangos’ – the Arms-Length Bodies (ALBs) that currently manage many crucial areas of policy – come into sharper focus.

This report focuses on one specific ALB: Homes England. It sets out the case for a radical restructure of the Government’s housing and regeneration system, replacing Homes England with locally-led institutions.

With Strategic Authorities being rolled out across the country, an opportunity has been created to move to a more decentralised system of mayoral oversight, and bring the powers currently held by Homes England closer to the places and partnerships which are decisive for successful development.