Acquisition Programme: information

The role of local authorities and registered social landlords

Local Housing Strategies and Strategic Housing Investment Plans

As the statutory housing authority and in line with the planning, prioritisation and delivery of the broader Affordable Housing Supply Programme, local authorities have a key role to play in relation to acquisitions. Local authorities are required to prepare Local Housing Strategies setting out local housing requirements and strategic housing investment priorities. This work should be informed by a Housing Need and Demand Assessment and consideration given to the level and type of housing to be delivered over the period, alongside other data and local knowledge, to meet identified housing requirements. Strategic Housing Investment Plans are expected to set out each local authority’s strategic investment priorities for housing over a five-year period aligned with the priorities and outcomes set out in their Local Housing Strategy. Specifically, they set out priority projects to be delivered to meet identified requirements including in terms of house size, for example, the needs of larger families, and location to ensure delivery in the areas required, including through the targeted purchase of appropriate “off the shelf” properties.

The delivery of affordable homes, through both new build and acquisitions, is integral to our objectives of tackling poverty and inequality, ending homelessness, creating and supporting jobs, meeting energy efficiency and decarbonisation aims and creating connected, cohesive communities. Our increased ambition to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 – with at least 70 per cent for social rent and 10 per cent in our rural and island communities – is crucial to delivering on those objectives and the acquisition of existing stock has a key role to play within the programme.

When considering the role that the acquisition of existing homes may play in meeting local housing requirements, we would expect local authorities to give careful consideration to the impact that such interventions may have on the broader housing market and to take this forward at a scale and pace to mitigate any unintended market consequences.