The Northern Housing Question

Every month, on average, more than a third of household income goes on housing costs. This greatly impacts what individuals can afford to pay for other essential goods and services, particularly as the cost-of-living soars. Consequently, housing continues to be a stubborn contributor to intersecting social, economic, environmental and health crises.  Rising house prices and rents, shortages of social housing and unmet housebuilding targets are central to this issue, and local authorities are struggling to meet their duties to house people experiencing absolute housing need. Although the north of England has lower median house and rental values, this does not lead to ‘affordable’ housing for many people. Furthermore, due to employment and demographic changes over the last century, many northern towns and cities have older housing stock that often no longer meets the needs of people and families. 

Whilst the long-awaited Renters Rights Act comes into force on 1^st May 2026, offering stronger rights, protection, and increased housing security for renters, successive governments have only tinkered at the edges of the ‘housing question’. A failure to deal with the central issue of land availability, value and ownership, which both slows down new housebuilding and makes new houses unaffordable to many, has seen house prices increase whilst the quality of the built product has often reduced.  

Responding to this context, this symposium will examine issues pertaining to: landownership and land values, the private rental sector, social housing and housing need and decision making in housing and housing futures. The event will hear from a range of cross sector speakers, as well as academics and activists. Understanding housing crisis as being geographically variable, this symposium will look at the issues specific (but not exclusive) to northern England. 

Confirmed Speakers

Confirmed speakers include:

• Isaac Rose (Greater Manchester Tenants’ Union)
• Dan Wilson Craw (Generation Rent)
• Vicky McDermott (Director of Housing and Communities, Newcastle City Council)
• Tracy Guy (Shelter North East)
• Jimm Reed (Leeds Community Homes)

plus other speakers to be confirmed.   

This event is being organised by Julia Heslop (School of Architecture, Plannning and Landscape) and Emma Ormerod (Department of Geography, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology). Please contact Julia Heslop at julia.heslop@newcastle.ac.uk if you have any questions about this event.