The Housing Mission Delivery Board (HMDB) was set up to deliver the housing affordability aim of Bath & North East Somerset’s Economic Strategy. This ground-breaking strategy is being delivered through the Future Ambition Board partnership. By bringing together key professionals from across the housing ecosystem, the HMDB supports collaboration in the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority region to address pressing housing challenges.
In 2022, house prices in B&NES were 13 times the average annual earnings. Latest figures show there are 5,872 families on the wait list for social housing. The affordability crisis is acute in rural communities, where the lack of housing jeopardises local businesses and threatens the social sustainability of towns and villages. In Bath, house prices have reached 19 times the average annual income, making the city the joint third least affordable in the UK. This impacts our productivity and poses a significant obstacle to attracting talent for local jobs, often forcing employees to relocate to areas with more affordable housing. Addressing these issues is essential to ensuring that living and working in B&NES is attractive and accessible for all.
In response, the council asked housing association and developer Curo to lead the Housing Affordability pillar, one of six central pillars underpinning B&NES’ Economic Strategy. Rather than leaving the responsibility solely with the council, this approach engages the entire housing system, inspiring collective action to tackle affordability challenges.
“This approach engages the entire housing system, inspiring collective action”
The goal of the Housing Affordability pillar is to ensure that all residents have access to high-quality, affordable homes. Its priorities are to develop a housing offer that is accessible and attractive to all; work with partners to unlock more affordable housing; and deliver high-quality sustainable housing fit for future generations. This will be measured through housing costs as a proportion of income.
The members of the Housing Mission Delivery Board are: Victor da Cunha, Chair of the HMDB, and Chief Executive of Curo; Paul Harris, Vice-chair of the HMDB, and Curo’s Chief Customer Officer; Sophie Camburn, Board Member of Arup UKIMEA Advisory Services Leader; Alex Cobb, Head of Place Strategy at WECA; Jocelyn Foster, Chief Strategic Officer and Commercial Officer, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust; Wayne Hemingway, Partner, HemingwayDesign; John Long, Executive Director, igloo Regeneration; Jane Loveys, Director of Accommodation, Hospitality, Retail and Security, University of Bath; Alex Notay, Chair, Radix Big Tent Housing Comission, Simon Martin, Director of Capital and Housing, B&NES; Andy Salmon, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Bath Spa University
The HMDB and its partners are using their professional expertise, gained from working across all sections of the housing ecosystem, to create a generational plan that will make B&NES an affordable, economically vibrant place to work and live.