Peter invited to join the advisory group for an ESRC-funded research project on housing growth.

Peter has been invited to join the advisory group for a research project on housing growth to be led by the Open University and the Institute for Urban Affairs at Northampton University.  The project is being funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and will run from 2011-2013.  It aims to chart changes in policies and delivery mechanisms for housing growth in Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire over this period. 

The purpose of the research will be:

1. to examine the nature of conflict over growth;

2. to analyse the role of policies and arguments about “sustainable development”;

3. to examine the implications of the economic crisis and changes in Government planning and housing policy on growth prospects; and

4. to examine the implications of the volume house builders model of development in the sub-region, and explore alternative models.

The research method will include interviews with all local authorities in the sub-region; interviews with housebuilders; and interviews with a number of community groups.  A selection of local authorities will be re-interviewed at the end of 2013 to see what changes have taken place over the previous 18 months.  At a national level there will be interviews with Government officials, national planning and housing groups and representatives of the development industry.