Tract Consultants’ Post

2024 was a big one, 2025 might eclipse it. Check out the Tract summary below for all you need to know.

Great start to @LREF_ with a State of the Market look. #Confidence is getting higher. Still some uncertainty and cautious with an eye on the Autumn #Budget. #Labour are VERY focused on #housing and particularly #social and #affordable housing (scary fact: the G15 group concluded from research that the average household income needed to be £76k to rent in London - this needs to change). This all points towards more housing but the #construction workforce has reduced by a third in last 5 years. Now likely to have capacity to deliver 200k homes a year (not the 300k being targeted) so new training and skills need to be delivered to grow workforce. The positive is that we have been here before as an industry and so can use lessons learnt from previous years. Final key themes mentioned we have heard before but need to crack, my #collaborative working between public and private sector, more long term thinking and long term #investment and faster approval of local plans and strategies so they can be implemented and delivered. #Sustainable and #ClimateResilience measures must be fully embedded in the above themes to ensure what we deliver better, greener and more #resilient places for both #people and #nature. #SustainabilityMatters #SocualSustainability #RegenerativeDesign #LongtermThinking #NatureBasedSolutions

‘Link social housing supply to net-zero goals. All social housing to be designed to adopt RIBA 2030 targets (operational energy/embodied Carbon/water/health & wellbeing). Ensure new housing is planned around low carbon public transport infrastructure.’https://lnkd.in/euMrwQdf

#WorldTownPlanningDay 2024 focuses on the vital role of planning and planners in delivering housing that meets the needs of our communities, and in helping to create equitable, inclusive, and sustainable solutions for all. Below, we've shared some recent TCPA resources that explore how to deliver zero carbon, affordable and healthy homes. 1️⃣ 'Our shared future: a white paper for homes and communities' https://lnkd.in/g7UyHU-m 2️⃣ 'Health, hope and prosperity' https://lnkd.in/eYEdN9sW 3️⃣ 'Securing healthy homes at the local level: a guide for local government' https://lnkd.in/et_gxrRU 4️⃣ 'Setting local plan policies for net zero buildings' https://lnkd.in/eAb5TanP

🏠 EBC welcomes the European Parliament's Special Committee on the #Housing Crisis in the #EU The composition of this Special Committee has been published, a further step toward addressing Europe’s growing housing challenges. Running for 12 months, this committee will focus on key issues affecting housing across Europe, including #affordability, accessibility, and #sustainability. By gathering insights from policymakers, experts, and stakeholders, the committee aims to develop comprehensive strategies to ensure that housing solutions align with the needs of European citizens and the EU’s broader climate and social goals. EBC remains committed to contributing expertise to the committee’s work, ensuring that #construction #SMEs and craft trades are recognized as key players in resolving Europe’s housing crisis. 📢 Read more: https://bit.ly/4gk6qo0

It was a bit like déjà vu (in a good way) reading the NSW Productivity Commission's housing report released earlier this month, which reflected many of the solutions we recommended in our report launched in August, 'Wicked Solutions: A long term approach to housing affordability' – in particular, streamlining the development process; growing the construction workforce, supporting innovation and productivity in prefabricated and manufactured buildings, and addressing tax breaks and subsidies. https://lnkd.in/gTeWkYq8 When there's strong alignment on evidence-based policy from divergent sources, that's always a good cue for policy makers to take notice.... #auspol #housingaffordability #housingcrisis #housingsolutions Sophie Black Claire Poulton Jae Lubberink Clare O'Neil Senator Andrew Bragg Scott Farlow Rose Jackson NSW Government NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure Lachlan Crombie Kevin McCann Ian Hancock Lisa France

The survey actually matters: it is the primary way the city solicits public comment on the direction and goals of their housing development initiatives. There will also be public input sessions, but the 5 minutes you may be allotted to speak (if you actually attend, which I did in 2019) probably won't shape any policy. This HPP on the other hand, directly shapes the annual CDBG funding allocations, the HOME and EOHNS projects, and eventually, the options that become available from the developers and innovators using the Affordable Homes Act to fund new projects and retrofitting existing ones.

🏡 The solution to the UK housing crisis isn’t building new—it’s unlocking the potential of what we already have. In this video, Frank and Lawrence reveal Yield Investing’s innovative model: repurposing old, dilapidated infrastructure into safe, clean and affordable social homes. ✅ From starting a project to tenants moving in takes just 3 months. ✅ Over 1.2 million people in the UK are on the social housing waitlist. ✅ Meanwhile, 271,000 buildings suitable for residential use sit empty. It’s time to bridge the gap with sustainable, impactful solutions. 🌱 📢 Watch the full discussion to learn more about our mission to transform housing in the UK. #HousingCrisis #UrbanRenewal #SustainableLiving #YieldInvesting #AffordableHousing

🌍 Dive into our latest blog to learn about Labour's building targets, the impact of new legislation, and the challenges ahead. It highlights urban development and the government's ambitious plan to build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years, making it a crucial read for those interested in the new developments for the UK housing sector. 🔗 Read the blog: https://lnkd.in/es8dxpe6 There are only a few days left to secure your spot at the Housing Pioneer Summit, where you can learn more about the current challenges in the Housing Sector and strategies to overcome them, register here: https://lnkd.in/gx36G7Za #Housing #UrbanDevelopment #Legislation #Sustainability #DigitalTransformation

🏠 Challenges and Changes in UK Housebuilding: 2024 Overview 🏗️ The UK housebuilding sector has faced a transformative year in 2024, with significant challenges shaping the industry’s direction. From policy reforms to market shifts, here’s a snapshot of the key issues: 1️⃣ Policy Reforms and Planning Changes Updates to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) aimed to streamline development, including a new “grey belt” designation and penalties for underperformance. While these measures seek to accelerate building, uncertainty around implementation has sparked debate across the sector. 2️⃣ Market and Economic Pressures Relatively high base/mortgage rates and inflation have weakened consumer confidence, slowing demand for new homes. Housebuilding activity hit its lowest point in months by late 2024, reflecting broader economic uncertainty, plus major M&A activity (Barratt/Redrow). 3️⃣ Labour Shortages The skills gap remains a major hurdle, with Brexit and immigration policies exacerbating shortages. Despite new training initiatives, progress has been slow, highlighting the need for sustainable workforce development. 4️⃣ Sustainability and Net Zero Targets Developers are grappling with stricter energy efficiency standards and biodiversity requirements, increasing costs and project timelines. Balancing environmental commitments with affordability continues to challenge the sector. 5️⃣ Affordability and Infrastructure Gaps The demand for affordable housing remains critical, yet policies still favour large-scale, high-value developments. Infrastructure gaps in rural and suburban areas further hinder progress on essential projects. It’s clear that 2024 has been a pivotal year for housebuilding in the UK. Addressing these challenges will require collaboration across government, developers, and communities to deliver homes that are sustainable, affordable, and aligned with the nation’s goals. #UKHousebuilding #ConstructionIndustry #AffordableHousing #Sustainability #NetZero #SkillsShortage #Innovation