The Northern Housing Challenge is a key element of the Housing Corporation's work to find innovative solutions to deliver affordable housing and contribute to economic development in the North.

We received a great many interesting and innovative proposals, meeting our stated objectives of linking affordable housing with economic development across the North.  In total, we received 73 proposals by the 15th September deadline and the combined value of proposals totalled almost six times the resources identified as potentially available for the Northern Housing Challenge.

We have now grouped the proposals under the following primary themes:

1. Principal Regeneration Joint Ventures;
2. Enterprise Housing Pilot;
3. Reusing Large Homes/Avoiding Demolition;
4. Better Use Of Organisations Land Assets;
5. Community Interest Company & Land Trusts;
6. Flexible Tenure & Shared Equity; and
7. Some Innovation Possible for Inclusion in Conventional Bids.

A further analysis will now take place including an assessment of the value for money offered by each proposal.  This work will be completed in the first quarter of 2007 after which a short list of projects will be announced.

Northern Housing Challenge Team

November 2006

northernhousingchallenge@housingcorp.gsx.gov.uk