Manchester City Council begins major review into housing strategy

A major review will examine Manchester’s housing strategy, in order to meet rising demand and address key local issues.

The review will be carried out over the next six months, with the aim of increasing housing supply, affordability and accessibility, and improving the quality, safety and sustainability of Manchester’s existing housing sector.

Manchester has attracted 50,000 new residents in the last five years, with the Council aiming to build 32,000 homes by 2025 to meet growing demand.

Cllr Gavin White said that the high demand for housing in the city should be celebrated, but also should be seen as an opportunity to reflect on housing policy and address housing inequalities in Manchester.

‘We know that we need to increase housing supply – particularly affordable and social housing – along with continuing to improve standards in our existing homes,’ he said.

The Council has committed to ensuring that 20% of the new homes will be affordable, and expects to surpass this target with over 7,000 affordable homes in the pipeline between 2015 and 2025.

However, the Council will still face challenges in addressing the city’s housing inequality, as increasing numbers of people join the housing register and take up residence in temporary accommodation.

According to Cllr Gavin White, the review will allow the Council to find ways to tackle this growing issue.

‘This review will allow us to take an unflinching look at the challenges we still face in the city and develop strategies to tackle them head on,’ he said.

The review is also expected to be integral to the Council’s push to reach carbon-neutrality by 2038, with housing playing a significant role in their environmental aims.

The review will consider how existing homes can be adapted to be in line with the high sustainability standards for new builds in the city, through determining how older homes can be retrofit effectively and affordably.

The new housing strategy will cover a 10-year period up to 2030, and the results of the review are expected to be presented to the Council’s executive later this year.

Photo by Josh Taylor