This week the FAB Housing Mission Delivery Board welcomed partners from across the West of England to its annual Housing Summit, bringing together leaders from local government, housing associations, developers, investors, academia and the wider public sector to explore one central question: how do we move from strategy to delivery?
Against a backdrop of rising housing costs, increasing affordability pressures and growing demand for genuinely affordable homes, the summit highlighted the importance of collaboration in delivering the homes our communities need.
Opening the event, Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council, emphasised the role that safe, secure and sustainable homes play in supporting health, wellbeing, education and economic growth, while recognising the significant challenges facing the sector, from rising construction costs and viability pressures to planning complexity and infrastructure constraints.
The keynote address from Kirsty Shaw, former Chief Operating Officer at Homes England and incoming Chief Operating Officer at the University of Bath, reinforced the importance of partnerships that ‘get things done’. Drawing on national examples of successful collaboration, she highlighted how trusted partnerships, shared expertise and a focus on delivery can unlock sites, attract investment and create long-term impact.
Panel discussions and workshops built on these themes, exploring how organisations can work together to increase housing delivery, support essential workers and working households, create confidence for investment and ensure new developments meet the needs of local communities while embedding sustainability at their heart.
A recurring message throughout the day was that the housing challenge cannot be solved by any one organisation. Progress will depend on strong partnerships, long-term leadership and a shared commitment to turning ambition into action.
What happens next?
The discussions identified several shared priorities that will shape the Housing Mission Delivery Board’s work over the coming months:
- Strengthen partnerships between the public, private and voluntary sectors to accelerate housing delivery.
- Unlock stalled opportunities by aligning planning, investment, land and expertise to bring forward viable developments.
- Focus on the homes communities need, including genuinely affordable housing, homes for key workers and supported housing.
- Embed sustainability into future developments through energy-efficient, low-carbon and resilient design.
- Create confidence for long-term investment by developing delivery models that balance community benefit with financial viability.
The summit reinforced a shared commitment to moving beyond discussion and into delivery. By continuing to work collaboratively, the Housing Mission Delivery Board and its partners will build on the momentum from the summit to help deliver more affordable, sustainable homes and stronger communities across the West of England.