Barker Review of Housing Supply
Encyclopedia
The Barker Review of Housing Supply published its final report on the March 17, 2004. The report was authored by economist Kate Barker
and presented recommendations to the UK government for securing future housing needs. The findings of the report were:
The policy recommendations outlined in the report were:
Kate Barker
Kate Barker CBE is a British economist.Barker grew up in Stoke-on-Trent. She received a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St Hilda's College, Oxford in 1979 and worked for a large pension fund in London...
and presented recommendations to the UK government for securing future housing needs. The findings of the report were:
- That the UK had experienced a long term upward trend of 2.4% in real house pricesReal estate pricingReal estate pricing deals with the valuation of real estate and all the standard methods of determining the price of fixed assets apply....
over the past 30 years. - In order to reduce this rate of increase to 1.8% an additional 70,000 houses in England each year may be required.
- In order to reduce this rate to the EUEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
average of 1.1% an additional 120,000 houses each year may be required.
The policy recommendations outlined in the report were:
- For government to set a goal for improved market affordabilityAffordable housingAffordable housing is a term used to describe dwelling units whose total housing costs are deemed "affordable" to those that have a median income. Although the term is often applied to rental housing that is within the financial means of those in the lower income ranges of a geographical area, the...
. - Between £1.2 - £1.6 billion of additional funding per annum to meet predicted social housingPublic housingPublic housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
needs. - Implementation of a planning gain supplement to capture some of the benefits of development for the community.
- Establishment of a Regional Planning ExecutiveRegional planningRegional planning deals with the efficient placement of land use activities, infrastructure, and settlement growth across a larger area of land than an individual city or town. The related field of urban planning deals with the specific issues of city planning...
to advise the Regional Planning Body on the scale and distribution of housing required to meet the market affordability target. - Allocation of additional land in Local Development FrameworksLocal Development FrameworksA local development framework is the spatial planning strategy introduced in England and Wales by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and given detail in Planning Policy Statements 12...
which could be released by market triggers. - Establishment of a Community Infrastructure FundCommunity Infrastructure FundCommunity Infrastructure Fund is a UK government initiative created as a joint venture by the Department for Transport and the Department for Communities and Local Government., it was created following the recommendation of the Barker Review of Housing Supply.CIF was created to fund transport...
to help to unlock some of the barriers to development. - Limited term retention of council taxCouncil taxCouncil Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country. It was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as a successor to the unpopular Community Charge...
by local authorities for new housing developments to promote growth and cover transitional costs.