Panel at CIH Tai conference discusses what an arm’s length development body would look like in Wales
The group chief executive of housing association United Welsh said a development agency similar to Homes England would be a “good idea” for Wales as it would increase housing delivery.
Speaking at the Chartered Institute of Housing’s Tai conference, Richard Mann argued that an arm’s length development body could “build more homes, bring strategic plans forward, act as a catalyst for regeneration and create more job opportunities.”
This follows debate about whether the model could work in Wales in light of the Scottish government’s announcement in January that it would be establishing its own development agency – More Homes Scotland.
Mann said the Welsh government’s decision to abolish and reabsorb the original Welsh Development Agency quango in 2006 was described by some economists as “the worst policy decision by the Welsh government in the last 20 years.”
However, he acknowledged that the Welsh government “doesn’t want quangos” as ministers have previously said they are too expensive.
He said if a quango is not likely to be supported, a panel of officials within the welsh government could be set up to drive delivery instead.
The boss of the 6,800-home landlord advocated for a formal entity that works collaboratively with the sector to remove financial pipeline blockers, “squeeze extra value out of land [and] bring schemes forward with scale and pace.”
Last year, the Welsh government rejected a recommendation to establish a national development corporation, which was one of 17 proposals made following the local government and housing committee’s inquiry into social housing.
In its response, the government said: “Arm’s length bodies are expensive and resource intensive to establish and they should only be progressed where there is a proven case that functions cannot be delivered within the confines of government. Ambitions for the delivery of large-scale strategic sites and supporting alignment of housing and regeneration efforts can, in our view, be delivered by the Place Division.”
The government’s Place Division aims to bring together land and regeneration functions “to deliver proactive place-based approaches.”
United Welsh Group operates across South Wales and comprises United Welsh Housing Association, repairs and maintenance service Celtic Horizons, timber frame home manufacturer Celtic Offsite and housebuilder Harmoni Homes.
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