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November 2006
> NHF Report ‘Mirrors’ Harvest Experience
North West based Harvest Housing Group have responded to the National Housing Federation’s report the ‘North West’s Housing Time Bomb’, saying it ‘mirrors’ their own experience of the regional market.
The findings of the report are that although the housing market is soaring in the region there are still significant issues of deprivation, poverty and relatively poor economic performance.
The report talks about the worsening affordability gap, increasing house prices and the growing waiting lists for affordable homes in the North West that has seen the highest rise in the country since 2002.
Ian Perry, Chief Executive of Harvest Housing Group said of the report that:
“It mirrors our own experience working across the North West. Five years ago the problems were all about stock condition and low demand. Affordability was only a problem in a limited number of hotspots like the Lake District and North Cheshire. Now, affordability is a big problem right across the region even though the older issues have not gone away and public investment is still needed on stock quality and making the housing market work in problem areas."
He added:
“We welcome the report, which is very timely in relation to the Government’s comprehensive spending review.”
The Government has increased investment in housing over recent years, which is helping to support the growth and regeneration of the North West.
Harvest Housing Group, working as part of the PLUS Harvest Development have a potential programme in place for an investment of over £100 million to deliver 1165 new homes across the North West and within their own affordability programme, Harvest Housing Group provided 203 new properties for shared-ownership based schemes last year.
This year (ending March 2007) figures are expected to be upwards of 370 new affordable homes.
The National Housing Federation’s report can be read in full on www.housing.org.uk