Even in the middle of a global pandemic latent problems such as the housing crisis persist.  But what if there is a way to use one crisis to help us out of another?  This article featured in Estates Gazette this week examines whether the demand for housing can be used to kick-start an important sector of the economy once the lockdown ends. 

Homes England – the government’s housing, land and regeneration agency - has in the last week announced that it acquired 19 sites in the last financial year, worth £180m and with the capacity for 5,000 new homes across the country.  It advertises itself as the “housing accelerator” and has a policy of acquiring challenging sites or those where development has stalled.  By using its significant resources and expertise it can unlock complicated sites and release them to developers for housing projects.  Homes England is demonstrating a long term vision with a strong pipeline of projects which it hopes can be used to stimulate recovery of the housebuilding sector once the current restrictions are eased.