Hull and East Yorkshire signs landmark deal with Homes England

A major agreement to get more houses built in Hull and East Yorkshire has been signed. Last week the government body Homes England met with Luke Campbell, the Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, to sign the landmark contract and kickstart a new era of regeneration.

The deal is a big thumbs-up from central government for the progress being made by the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority (HEYCA) and marks the start of a more long-term approach to housebuilding. It means the authority becomes the tenth place in England to be equipped with the ambitious new powers.

The Strategic Place Partnership brings HEYCA, Homes England, Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council together around a new, shared approach to housing and regeneration. The organisations are following a successful pilot from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority which helped to deliver huge economic gains around Manchester during Andy Burnham’s time as mayor.

The new agreement means that rather than looking at possible sites for housebuilding in isolation, the partnership will instead help to build a coordinated pipeline of priority developments. It will also bring Homes England’s national expertise to East Yorkshire earlier and allow partners to work together on the issues that can prevent good schemes from getting off the ground.

In addition, the agreement will help planners at HEYCA to better deliver a joined-up approach to new infrastructure and investment, as well as making sure new housing is planned alongside transport, jobs and the wider needs of communities.

Not just building houses, but creating new neighbourhoods

After signing the landmark deal, Mayor Campbell said the longer-term ambition is not simply to build more houses, but to make better use of brownfield and underused land. He thinks this approach will create modern mixed-use neighbourhoods where homes sit alongside jobs, businesses, green space, transport and the everyday things people need.

“There is huge, untapped potential across Hull and East Yorkshire. We have brownfield and underused land that can become new homes, new neighbourhoods and places where people genuinely want to live,” Mayor Campbell said.

He explained the agreement would boost development around the region, with a focus on increased city centre living in Hull alongside a dynamic approach to bringing homes and businesses together.

“I want us to be ambitious about what comes next. That means more city centre living, modern mixed-use neighbourhoods, bringing homes, businesses and green spaces together, and breathing new life into parts of our region that have been overlooked,” Mayor Campbell added.

“We should be every bit as ambitious for Hull and East Yorkshire as anywhere else in the country. This partnership gives us another way to turn that ambition into something people can see and be proud of.”

The agreement also supports HEYCA’s wider Local Growth Plan, which links housing and regeneration with the things needed to grow the economy, including jobs, transport, infrastructure and investment.

It means housing can increasingly be looked at as part of the wider future of a place rather than simply one site at a time, helping to give government, developers and investors a clearer picture of where Hull and East Yorkshire wants to grow and what is needed to make that happen.

Policymakers give thumbs-up to regeneration in Hull

Following the signing, representatives from HEYCA and Homes England visited Hull Fruit Market and the East Bank area of the city to see regeneration already delivered and discuss the next generation of opportunities for the region.

Pat Ritchie CBE, Chair of Homes England, was impressed with the work going on locally and said the new framework for regeneration across the region could create many exciting opportunities.

“Hull and East Yorkshire has a proud history, strong communities and a clear ambition for the future,” she said.

“Through this Strategic Place Partnership, we will work with the mayor and local partners to align investment, unlock growth and regeneration, and create opportunities that make a real difference to people across the region.”

Homes England is a key partner for Hull’s East Bank Urban Village, which is a huge regeneration project set to transform the eastern bank of the River Hull. The neighbourhood will deliver around 850 new homes on the site opposite the Old Town.

Phase 1 of construction is expected to begin next year, and will initially deliver almost 40 townhouses and around 80 apartments across two buildings. All of the homes will be classed as affordable, helping to meet local demand.

The new Strategic Place Partnership underlines a wider commitment to be really ambitious across regeneration in Hull, according to Cllr Mike Ross, the Leader of Hull City Council.

He said: “For us in Hull, it is important in helping us achieve the significant developments we need to get underway, such as the East Bank development. This is a major project for Hull and will need support from a range of bodies, not just the council, so partnerships like this will hopefully help give reassurance for those who need it that it will move forward.”