Life in pathfinder areas is improving

Housing markets and population levels in the nine pathfinder areas are in a better position than for many years, new research shows.

The Housing Market Renewal (HMR) Baseline Evaluation report published today shows that the pathfinders have made a strong start in reviving housing markets in their areas; however there remains considerable progress to be made over the lifetime of the programme.

Vacancies and low value sales have fallen, and demand for social housing has increased. Although pathfinders cannot be credited with all these improvements, it is clear that the HMR programme has played a crucial role in rebuilding confidence amongst both communities and investors.

Housing and Planning Minister Yvette Cooper said: “This research demonstrates the real difference the Housing Market Renewal programme is making to improve people’s lives in the nine pathfinder areas by tackling low demand, abandonment and anti-social behaviour.

“Despite this progress, there are still significant long term challenges for the pathfinders to meet in order to turn round our most deprived housing market areas. That is why we are committed to continued investment in the programme, and asking the pathfinders to identify ways of maximising private investment too.”

Key findings of the report include:
In most pathfinders, the proportion of very low value sales under £50,000 has fallen very sharply;

The pathfinders are on course to reduce the gap between their area and the regional average for both vacancy rates and house-prices by a third by 2010;

Vacancy rates have dropped from 5.6% in 2001 to 4.8%, and the percentage of vacancies resulting from abandonment has fallen from 15.2% to 11.5% over the same period;

The percentage of new social tenants that are working full time has increased from 20% in 2001 to 24% in 2005, much closer to the national average of 24.8%;

Overall, local residents have supported the proposals and the pathfinders have placed substantial emphasis on community engagement;

The quality of research and intelligence on which the pathfinders’ strategies are based is very high, and sounder than for any previous regeneration programme.