Newcastle University

October saw CURDS host the first in a year long programme of events addressing some of the North East’s key regional development agenda. In this workshop, the keynote presentation was provided by Peter Marsh, Chief Executive of the Tenant Services Authority, himself a Newcastle Geography alumnus. The event looked at the development potential around social housing, at a time when the credit crunch and subsequent global financial meltdown has pushed construction to a near all-time low, and consigned tens of thousands of building workers into unemployment despite waiting lists for social housing peaking at a record high.  

Peter Marsh provided an excellent review of the national regulatory and policy context of social housing before focusing down more specifically on the prospects for the North East. His presentation reviewed the progress of the TSA in the months since its establishment and considered the challenges facing the social rented sector. The impact of the recession appears to be altering attitudes to renting which provides new opportunities for registered social landlords, which are generally viewed positively by tenants. However, the new markets conditions are placing financial strains on them. RSLs have fine judgements to make about the scale of investment and rent levels in the new circumstances. The discussion focused on the different challenges of managing social housing between and within regions and the degree to which housing can contribute to place-making. The event was chaired by CURDS Visiting Professor Peter Hetherington (Guardian & HCA) and also featured Alison Stanners, Managing Director of Nomad E5, one of the region's largest home-grown registered social landlords.

The event drew a large crowd from across the region’s housing and regeneration policy community. The slides from this event are available to download by clicking here.