Mark Wilding,
Planning,
29 May 2009
Council planners lack the skills to assess economic viability, a forthcoming Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) report will claim.
The document, seen by Planning, calls for those involved in delivering
affordable housing to see the recession as an opportunity to review
policy and practice. CIH head of policy Abigail Davies said councils
must better appreciate schemes' viability to make realistic demands.
"Planning teams lack both knowledge of how to assess viability and the
confidence that they understand the economics of it," she said. "The
system of delivering affordable housing does not work and this is a
chance to do something new."
National Housing Federation head of investment policy and strategy
Stuart Ropke agreed: "Development economics have shifted. It is more
important than ever that councils make realistic affordable housing
demands."
Planning Officers Society spokesman John Silvester recognised the need
for planners to expand skills but said the issue is being tackled.
"Planners need a wider range of skills than ever and economic viability
certainly needs to be considered when assessing planning applications,"
he acknowledged. "It is something of which we are aware. We are looking
at offering specialist training."
