A new housing supply strategy

About the supply strategy

This new Executive strategy is intended to provide a long term framework for the development of policy, interventions and action plans to deliver the right homes in the right locations, to help meet current and foreseeable housing needs and demands.

The foundation of the strategy is guided by the vision that everybody has access to a good quality, affordable and sustainable home that is appropriate for their needs and is located within a thriving and inclusive community. That vision is supported by 5 key objectives which in turn set out a number of long-term policy commitments and enabling actions.

The strategy is supported by a strong evidence base which provides a robust platform for the development and implementation of a series of interventions which will help increase housing supply and ultimately reduce housing stress.

The strategy also recognises that there is no single challenge affecting housing supply here. Instead, housing supply faces a number of related and interdependent challenges, which, in combination, mean we are not always able to provide the right type of homes, in the right place, at the right time.

Therefore the strategy takes a ‘whole system’ view which recognises the complex and interconnected nature of housing supply, with many of the challenges to delivering more social and intermediate housing, similar to those to increasing housing supply more broadly.

Crucially, the whole system approach emphasises the central role of people, places and communities in considering our housing needs and demands. With this approach in mind, the strategy recognises that housing supply is about more than just bricks and mortar, but rather encompasses issues such as affordability, accessibility, sustainability, quality and security of tenure – all of which can mean different things to different people. It also focuses on how increasing the provision of the right homes in the right locations can contribute to the creation and maintenance of vibrant, attractive and sustainable communities where people want to live.

The strategy was co-designed, with stakeholders, partners and individuals who were all encouraged to be involved in its development. Development of the strategy also involved cross-Departmental collaboration and policy co-ordination that allowed for consideration of all policy areas impacting on housing supply.

Following the publication of the Housing Supply Strategy, work will now turn to implementation and action planning.

Consultation process

Work on developing the new strategy began in 2020. The first key step was a Call for Evidence, which took place in 2021. 

The evidence, information and proposals gathered from the Call for Evidence process, including extensive stakeholder engagement with delivery partners, wider stakeholders and service users was used to inform the development of a draft strategy.

Following on from the Call for Evidence, the Department launched a full public consultation on the draft strategy, which closed in 2022. A wide range of bodies, groups and individuals from within the housing and related sectors as well as more generally across society responded to the consultation.

A full Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) into the strategy was published and was subject to its own consultation period. A final decision report on the EQIA was also completed and can be found at the following link. 

• Housing Supply Strategy 2024 - 2039 EQIA Final Decision Report

Full details and reports from all stages of the consultation can be found at the following link:

• Consultation on the new housing supply strategy

The final strategy document has also been published.

• Housing Supply Strategy 2024 - 2039