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SOUTH WEST EMPLOYERS GIVEN A VOICE ON AVAILABILITY & AFFORDABILITY OF HOMES

South West Housing Initiative invites businesses to join the call for more homes and more affordability

Employers in the South West are the first in the UK to be asked to voice their views on the availability and affordability of homes.

Faced with the UK‘s biggest housing crisis outside London, the South West Housing Initiative – the country‘s first regional partnership of home-builders, housing associations, housing professionals, and business – is inviting employers to report how the availability and affordability of homes is affecting their recruitment, pay-claims, and plans to keep their business in the South West.

Employers‘ organisations, including the CBI and BEMA, have already asked their South West members to take part in an online survey on the effects of the region‘s housing crisis for their business.

Michael Clarke, former South West chairman for the CBI and current chairman of the South West Housing Initiative, explained:  “This region has the UK‘s biggest housing problem.  Latest findings from Government and independent agencies, spotlight the South West as having the biggest affordability gap between average earnings and average house-prices, at a time when home-building is not keeping pace with demand.

“The SWHI‘s partners, including the region‘s home-builders and housing associations, have confirmed that they can deliver the increased number of homes that are needed to sustain the South West‘s economic growth.  But it is crucial that businesses – the drivers of economic growth – have a voice in the debate, so we are urging the region‘s employers to take part in a special online survey”, said Mr. Clarke.

South West employers can visit the online survey site – www.surveyshop.com/mssswhi – to spend a few moments in recording their views, opinion, and experience on how the availability of affordable housing is affecting their business, including their ability to recruit and retain employees.

“Employers do not get a vote in national or local elections – but they are vital to the region‘s economy and prospects.  So any debate about future housing must hear the views of those employers”, said Mr Clarke, a partner at South West law firm, Clarke Willmott.

END                15th May 2006

For further information please contact David Sturgess on 01275 349011 or email david@sturgessvandamme.co.uk or Martin Willey on 07836 315896 or email willeyytp@aol.com

Photo Caption:

Michael Clarke, Chairman South West Housing Initiative

NOTES TO EDITORS

i.                    The South West Housing Initiative is a unique partnership – viewed as a national pilot-trial for the UK;

ii.                  Partners in the South West Housing Initiative include:

-                     The Home Builders‘ Federation (HBF) – representing the region‘s largest private-sector house-builders;

-                     The National Housing Federation (NHF) – representing the region‘s largest housing associations;

-                     The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH)– representing housing professionals;

-                     The CBI – representing major employers;

-                     The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) – representing professional planners;

-                     The RICS – representing chartered surveyors;

-                     Law firm, Clarke Willmott

-                     EDF Energy

iii.                The SWHI believes that the South West must deliver at least 25,000 new homes per year for the next 20 years – providing mixed-occupancy solutions (combining freehold, shared-ownership, and rental) in locations related to need (rural and urban)

iv.                 The SWHI “partners” are all involved in delivering new homes in the South West, and have assembled examples of ‘best practice‘ in the region to prove that their objectives are entirely deliverable;

v.                   The independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation has identified the South West as having Britain‘s biggest housing crisis and “affordability-gap” – the difference between average house prices and average earnings;

vi.                 The SWHI‘s annual conference, at which Best Practice examples will be presented, takes place on 26th June at the Mariott Royal Hotel in Bristol.