housing – Page 2

Manchester has its housing problems – but comparisons to London are off the mark

By Tom Arnold Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Devo, Growth and Inclusion Posted: March 26, 2018

Tom Arnold, a postgraduate researcher of economic development in Northern England, examines current housing policy in Greater Manchester and the challenge to develop a housing strategy which supports its growing economy whilst simultaneously tackling homelessness and deprivation. Housing policy in Manchester is under scrutiny and campaign groups are concerned that the city centre is becoming […]

Learning from the draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework process

By Graham Haughton Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Urban Posted: September 6, 2017

Graham Haughton, Professor of Urban Planning at The University of Manchester outlines 12 lessons from the recent debates around a new Spatial Framework for Greater Manchester. The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) is a 20 year strategic plan for the city region. The draft GMSF was planned for what should have been an election free […]

What is it that we actually want and how are we going to get it?

By Sophie King Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Inclusive Growth Posted: April 26, 2017

Resident of Manchester Dr Sophie King, from the University of Sheffield, blogs on her experiences of recent political events in Manchester and discusses her disappointment in proceedings so far. Here she highlights a lack of viable policy proposals and looks at what can be learnt from small scale initiatives elsewhere in the city, as well […]

Our system for housing asylum seekers is failing, we must do better

By Jonathan Darling Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Urban Posted: February 1, 2017

In light of this week’s report into Asylum Accommodation by the Home Affairs Select Committee, Dr Jonathan Darling, who submitted expert evidence to the inquiry, responds to its findings and suggests a way forwards. Asylum accommodation is currently provided through six regional contracts with three private providers There have been reports of substandard and inappropriate […]

The rise of the hidden homeless

By Christa Maciver Filed Under: All posts, Growth and Inclusion, Inclusive Growth Posted: December 16, 2016

The homelessness statistics published yesterday unveil the state of homelessness according to the government. Justlife, the charity for those in unsupported temporary accommodation, recognises these statistics reflect the reality many of us are seeing on our streets – that homelessness is on the rise. However, what many do not see is the increasing numbers of […]

The use of hotels is a sign of failing asylum accommodation policy

By Jonathan Darling Filed Under: All posts, Ethnicity Posted: March 24, 2016

With news of the hotel chain Britannia accommodating up to 300 asylum seekers in a hotel in Manchester, Dr Jonathan Darling argues that this reliance on hotels demonstrates a failing asylum accommodation policy. The hotel, in Northenden, has been used by the private contractor Serco to house asylum seekers as part of the UK’s dispersal […]

The UK’s housing crisis

By Michelle Custodio Filed Under: Featured Posted: October 19, 2015

The Government aims to build one million more homes by 2020, the Prime Minister has announced. Michelle Custodio puts the need for more homes in perspective. How many more homes does the UK need? Back in May last year, the then business secretary Vince Cable argued that the UK should build an extra 300,000 a […]

The Life and Death of Zero Carbon Housing Policy

By Andrew Karvonen Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Urban Posted: September 15, 2015

Last month the UK government announced that it was abandoning its 2016 commitment to require all new housing in England and Wales to be zero carbon. Here Andrew Karvonen looks at the possible impact of that decision. In ‘Fixing the Foundations: Creating a More Prosperous Nation’, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne cited the zero carbon […]

UK GDP grows more slowly – should we worry?

By Diane Coyle Filed Under: Featured Posted: April 29, 2015

Professor Diane Coyle explains that the latest, disappointing, GDP figures tell us little about what is actually happening in the economy. That won’t stop them being used by all the parties in the last days of the General Election campaign. It was no surprise that the General Election spin machines should try to put their […]

Making shared housing work

By Sue Heath Filed Under: Featured, Health and Social Care, Whitehall Watch Posted: July 3, 2014

The Government wants people on housing benefit to share accommodation to bring down costs. But, Sue Heath warns, voluntary arrangements usually work better than compulsion. The Government’s welfare reform programme is penalising under-occupation of social rented accommodation that is paid for by housing benefit. One approach favoured by the Government is more sharing of accommodation […]

Learning from the draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework process

What is it that we actually want and how are we going to get it?

Our system for housing asylum seekers is failing, we must do better

The rise of the hidden homeless

The use of hotels is a sign of failing asylum accommodation policy

The UK’s housing crisis

The Life and Death of Zero Carbon Housing Policy

UK GDP grows more slowly – should we worry?

Making shared housing work

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