Wates Living Space sponsors Houseproud 2010 campaign

27 May, 2010

Wates Living Space has pledged its commitment to sponsor Houseproud, the campaign spearheaded by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and industry magazine Inside Housing to promote the benefits of investing in the housing sector.

The campaign aims to present the “Case for Housing” by identifying the direct and indirect benefits of investing in housing in an effort to persuade the incoming government to maintain or increase the current budget.

In addition to addressing the demand for housing, the Houseproud campaign also seeks to educate politicians about how housing affects issues like health, education, the environment, employment, anti-social behaviour and demographic change.

The campaign has brought together hard-hitting statistics including:

1. Every £1 spent on construction leads to an increase in GDP of £2.84 as spending stimulates growth elsewhere in the economy worth £1.84[1]. (20% of construction output is housing)
2. The UK is building around half of the new homes that are needed each year to meet demand[2]
3. One in five housing professionals says the wait for a two-bed social homes is more than five years[3]
4. Every £1 spent on energy efficient housing saves the NHS £0.42 in health costs[4]
5. Every unemployed person costs the taxpayer £8000[5] per year. The house building industry employs around 300,000 people.

Steve Trusler, Strategy Director for Wates Living Space explains “We see first hand, each and every day the difference that investment in housing makes, not just on the people living in the homes we work in, but on the wider social and economic development of an area too.

“Investment in decent housing brings local training, employment initiatives, encourages the use of local suppliers and investment within a local community. It also has a knock-effect in terms of improving the health of residents, tackling worklessness and anti-social behaviour.

 “We have a brand new Government which has the potential to make a real impression on the housing issues affecting this country. We hope that by adding our support to the Houseproud campaign we can influence change for the better.”

The first briefing document was issued in a recent edition of Inside Housing. A further document will be published in the summer, the campaign will also contribute to the Housing Pact document that will be produced during the CIH Housing Conference in Harrogate and presented to Grant Shapps prior to him addressing the conference.

If you would like further details on the Houseproud campaign, please contact sarah [dot] smithwates [dot] co [dot] uk (Sarah Smith), Marketing Manager.

[1] Recent research published in the LEK report

[2] CIH Make the Case for Housing

[3] CIH Make the Case for Housing

[4] CIH Make the Case for Housing

[5] CIH Make the Case for Housing

To download this press release as a pdf click here

Categories: new build, refurbishment, regeneration, influencing, affordable housing, CR, national

Tags: Houseproud