Member Article

Business group launch debate on North East housing

The North East Chamber of Commerce and national law firm Watson Burton are asking businesses for views on the region’s housing market as they build the case for greater levels of development in the North East.

Last month NECC and the law firm launched a task group with businesses across the region to assess demand for housing development in the North East and the associated economic effects.

The survey is open to businesses with interests in the housing sector or supply chain and canvasses opinion on regional housing market performance, the importance of the sector to the economy, identifying barriers to development; and the region’s role within the wider housing agenda.

Task Group Chair, Tracy Hall, partner and group head for Real Estate at Watson Burton, said: “The North East is home to some of the major players in the UK construction industry. Our housing sector supports thousands of jobs and attracts skilled workers to the region, but are we maximising the opportunities available for housing to satisfy market demand?

“This is something that we would like to assess. By launching our survey we think we will gain an objective picture of current approaches and constraints on further development and are inviting anyone with an interest in the region’s housing sector to take part.

“It should only take a few minutes and will provide us with an ideal platform for analysis and debate on the key issues at the forefront of the political agenda.”

NECC policy adviser, Rachel Travis, said: “The findings will provide invaluable data that will both inform future NECC policy and offer a clear indication of how North East businesses feel about how we can capitalise on our region’s potential for development.

“We want to the build the case for development in appropriate areas and influence the decision makers that this is not only good for the regional economy, but for local economies too.

NECC and Watson Burton are working in partnership with a supply chain task group - representing a wide range of businesses from retail and education, to infrastructure and property - with a view to identifying current approaches and constraints on further development.

The Task Group will aim to demonstrate how house building links to wider economic and business benefits; and will ultimately seek to influence policy decisions through a report published in the autumn later this year.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by North East Chamber of Commerce .