Local policy for housing development: European experiences

Book abstract:

This work seeks to investigate how we can influence the residential environment of new housing schemes. It is based on the premise that housing development is both an economic process and a policy process that concerns us all since we all need somewhere to live. Eight case studies, carried out in four countries - the Netherlands, Germany, France and the United Kingdom - are used to examine in detail the intersection of housing and land use with the overall result providing some clear suggestions on the ways in which the development processes might be improved.

Chapter 1 gives a fulsome introduction to the author's view of the process of housing development and Chapter 2 describes the methodology and format of the investigation. The incidence of costs and revenues - the financial analysis - are dealt with in Chapter 3 with an explanation of the residual land price calculation and an illustration of its application to housing. Chapter 4 moves on to the institutional aspects of the process and explores the roles and inter-reaction of the players and the extent to which these factors influence the strategy. Chapter 5 focuses on the decision-making about the residential environment and progresses the discussion to explore how both the financial and institutional aspects combine in the decision-making process. 'Lessons to be learnt' is the sub-text of the title for Chapter 6 and shows how the study enables actors in development processes to construct a framework with which to reflect upon their actions and interpret what happens in the process and gives some clues as to how public and private actors can work together effectively in housing development policies and process.

The volume will interest students, practitioners, legislators, politicians and operators in the housing or planning industry.

Roelof Verhage is with the OTB Research Institute for Housing, Urban & Mobility Studies, Delft University of Technology and also the Faculty of Policy Sciences, University of Nijmegen.