Local councils are calling on the government to do something about a lack of affordable housing. It’s dubbed by some as a housing crisis, and a recent report has indicated the need for affordable housing in the UK, with a call to the government to respond.

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The Report

The report has been published by the Town and Country Planning Association (also known as the TCPA) and the Association for Public Service Excellence (known as the APSE), who represent local councils in the UK. The report has highlighted the need that local councils say they have for affordable housing, with 96% of councils claiming that their need level is moderate or severe.

It also found that nearly three-quarters of councils feel that the National Planning Police Framework actually made things harder when it came to building new affordable housing. The National Planning Police Framework, or NPPF, is a framework of government policies relating to planning permission.

Other governmental policies, such as the much-maligned Right to Buy scheme, are also thought to hinder councils’ ability to provide affordable social housing.

Speaking on behalf of the councils, the CEO of the TCPA claims that government policies are not actually enabling local councils to provide the kind of housing that their communities need.

Buying in the UK

One solution to the housing crisis is to encourage people to buy using schemes such as Help to Buy for first-time buyers. Those looking for houses for sale in England might want to buy a house in Gloucester through an agent such as http://www.tgres.co.uk/properties-for-sale. Average house prices in Gloucester are some of the lowest in the whole county and are somewhat cheaper than the national average.

The report found that despite the government frameworks and policies that are holding back local councils’ ability to provide affordable housing, the councils themselves have come up with a number of innovative and ground-breaking ways to provide extra housing. The report suggests that local councils are given back control over their housing assets, their plans for investment and their rental policies.

This report is the second one produced in collaboration by the APCE and the TCPA. It has highlighted the need for more affordable housing in the UK and the fears that councils have about being in a position to deliver.