New agency will deliver regeneration and housing

The government announced plans yesterday to create a new agency to deliver regeneration and housing in England.

Communities England will combine the functions of regeneration agency English Partnerships, social housing regulator the Housing Corporation and some work done by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The new agency is not likely to be operational until 2009.

National Housing Federation chief executive David Orr said bringing housing and regeneration together would allow the government to plan strategically how to create successful neighbourhoods.

He urged the government to include Supporting People within the remit of the new agency, a matter that the government is currently considering.

Housing charity Shelter said “re-arranging which agency delivers what is less important than ensuring that 20,000 extra social homes are built each year for those hit by the housing crisis”.