Inventing our future Collective action for a sustainable economy

4 Purpose and Vision
Purpose
Regional Housing Strategy for the East of England: 2005–2010
4.1 The first regional housing strategies were developed from largely descriptive statements in order
to deliver the Government’s Sustainable Communities Plan in a regionally sensitive manner.
Regional Housing Boards were established in 2003 with responsibility for delivering the
underpinning public investment in housing.
4.2 Similarly, the Government’s five year strategy ‘Homes for All‘ announced in January 2005 must be
a significant factor in the way the RHS moves forward.
4.3 The RHS is part of a suite of regional strategies, and has links to other existing and emerging
strategies. It has a particular relationship with the Regional Spatial Strategy (the East of England
Plan) and the RES, all of which are brought together in the Integrated Regional Strategy.
4.4 A primary function of the RHS must be to act as an instrument for delivery of the East of
England Plan, and to support the RES. The RHS must move to a position where new provision
reflects what is set out in the East of England Plan and this in turn reflects the Government’s
Sustainable Communities agenda. This requires the policies and other provisions of the RHS to
address the need for strategic guidance and support for those engaged in planning new residential
development.
4.5 The RHS is not a substitute for local and sub-regional housing strategies that identify localised
needs and markets. Local housing authorities produce their housing and homelessness strategies
within the context of their community strategies and local corporate priorities, ensuring that
housing priorities are closely linked to economic, social and environmental needs.
4.6 The RHS will only be acceptable to those working at local and sub-regional levels if it is seen
to add value to what they are doing. It does not substitute for their own strategic thinking but
must complement it, providing a regional framework to guide and support their work. Ideally, local
strategies will nest within the respective sub-regional strategy, and sub-regional strategies within
the RHS.
4.7 The RHS is the ‘glue‘ that holds national and local priorities together. The relationship between
strategies at the three levels is neither simply ‘top-down‘, nor ‘bottom-up‘: it must be both at the
same time, with influence in the form of strategic guidance, good practice and evidence for policy
formation, coordination, support in resolving conflicts and inconsistencies, and so on. In all these
ways the RHS can be expected to add value.
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