CIH Housing Brighton 2023

This month, DHA once again journeyed to Brighton to attend the annual Housing Conference, hosted by the Chartered Institute of Housing with Mark Bewsey and Matthew Woodhead representing the planning team and Kevin Chapman and Mark Presland from the land team.  This conference is widely perceived to be “the event” for housing professionals in the south of England, with a cross section of housing providers from Housing Associations, Local Government property teams, partnership house builders, all in attendance along with architects, construction teams, agents and planners alike.

With the aim of bringing together all of the main players in the housing delivery industry in order to keep communication going and deliver a positive housing future, the conference centred on the cost of living crisis and its impact on families, making it more important than ever that we both deliver and invest in safe affordable homes and build trust within the sector.

Around the conference there were many meetings over coffee (and the occasional beer) that took place in the hotels, cafes and restaurants in Brighton.  With the general mood of a difficult housing environment and economy, as well as mixed messages coming out on planning reforms from the government, there was positivity around estate renewal and regeneration. 

Whilst in previous periods of economic downturn, Housing Associations and Partnership delivery teams continued to see the opportunities to compete for land in a market without so many major housebuilders, however there is certainly more hesitancy to do so with the current funding constraints. What is clear however is that it is a great time to look at opportunities within existing stock and land holdings, and  DHA are on hand to advise on disposals, land opportunities, planning uplift land, reviewing housing stock, garage sites etc. and whole portfolio reviews. 

Please contact Matthew Woodhead (Planning) or Mark Presland (Land) should you have any land or planning related matters you would like to discuss.