Housing Policy Formulation in Sheffield
Enes Aydin - University of Sheffield
The UK government’s ambitious goal of delivering one and a half million new homes in England over the next five years underscores the political ambition to drive housing delivery nationwide, with potential implications for housing inequalities. Cities like Sheffield, where the demand for affordable housing continues to rise, face challenges in implementing national targets in their local context. Evidence from reports by Crisis and the National Housing Federation (Bramley, 2018), as well as recent findings from the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee (2024), highlight a chronic shortage of affordable housing, with estimates suggesting that 90,000 new social rent homes are needed annually (Cromarty et al., 2024). While decision makers set the strategic direction, implementation and policy formulation requires a range of actors, including local authorities, housing officers and urban planners. The key dilemma remains: ‘How do housing policymakers in Sheffield frame and mobilise evidence and narratives to shape perceptions of housing inequality and influence policy formulation aimed at addressing these inequalities?’
Sheffield has an estimated need for 370,099 new homes by 2022 and a deficit of 116,362 properties (CIA Landlords, 2022). While the city’s Housing Strategy aims to address these shortages, the projected need for new homes may exceed the number of units currently planned. Specifically, Sheffield’s target of 10,278 new homes is higher than the number of homes planned, and a shortfall of 857 units over the past two years increases the deficit to 11,057 homes, with a projected need of 11,610 homes over the next five years (Sheffield City Council, 2025). Sheffield’s population growth, driven by students and professionals, may place additional pressure on the housing market. The Housing Strategy commits to delivering 35,000 new homes by year 2039, but the ongoing shortfall highlights the challenges in meeting housing demand and addressing inequality. The city also shows a clear spatial divide, with a marked contrast between the wealthier west and the more deprived east, reflecting the uneven distribution of housing inequality (Hayes, 2023).
The Role of Policymakers in Housing Policy
Housing policy is shaped by the interweaving of economic ambitions, political ideologies, practitioners’ orientations and institutional constraints. Local government officials’ worldviews can influence their approaches to housing provision. Some policymakers adopt an evidence-based approach, selecting data that align with their strategic goals, while others emphasise managerial efficiency, focusing on cost-effectiveness and resource allocation.
Theories of policymaking, such as managerial, political, and behavioural perspectives, offer different lenses through which to examine housing policy decisions. The managerial perspective considers how local governments function as organisations, balancing efficiency and resource management. However, this approach often prioritises financial sustainability over social welfare, raising questions about the impact on housing affordability. Housing policymaking is not merely a technical process but also a political one, where different actors compete to define the problem and set the agenda. Meanwhile, political perspectives highlight the complex power dynamics between central and local authorities, as well as the role of narratives in shaping policy discourse. Decision making can also be influenced by the biases and perceptions of policymakers, which can lead policy choices in addressing housing challenges.
Evidence-Based Policymaking: Opportunities and Limitations
One of the main challenges in housing policy is the effective use of evidence. While data and research are important instruments in designing policies that designate housing provision, they may not always be effectively integrated into the policymaking process. The way evidence is framed, selected and interpreted can shape policy outcomes. Policymakers may sometimes rely on data that supports pre-existing agendas, while alternative perspectives and other relevant considerations might be overlooked in the process.
Furthermore, housing policies ought to consider behavioural factors that influence decision-making. Policymakers, like individuals, can rely on cognitive shortcuts and heuristics, especially in complex and uncertain environments. These biases can affect how housing challenges are prioritised, how risks are assessed and which policies are deemed appropriate. For example, although a policy may be designed to meet housing targets for increasing affordable housing supply, it may not necessarily address existing constraints, such as land availability or planning regulations.
Understanding Housing Policymaking in Sheffield
Ultimately, my ongoing PhD research aim to explore how policymakers construct and use evidence while shaping housing policies in Sheffield. Currently, I am conducting fieldwork, interviewing housing policymakers to understand the policy making processes in the city. My study examines how evidence is produced, interpreted and turned into policy action, as well as the role of narratives in aligning specific approaches to housing provision.
As my research progresses, I aim to illuminate the complexities of policymaking and the factors that shape housing strategies at the local level, with a particular focus on housing inequality and how it influences policy decisions. I hope that the findings might enhance our understanding of the challenges and opportunities of evidence-based policymaking, with potential implications for refining housing policies, not only in Sheffield but in other cities. Look out for subsequent findings as I further explore the decision-making processes in housing policy and their broader impact, with additional comprehensions to be shared in future publications. In line with the constructive feedback given at the 2024 HSA conference, I am still eager to get further perspectives from readers to enrich the ongoing research.
References
Bramley, G. (2018). Housing Supply Requirements Across Great Britain: for low-income households and homeless people. London: Crisis and National Housing Federation.
CIA Landlords. (2022, May 24). The UK Cities Worst Affected by the Housing Crisis. Retrieved from cia Landlords: https://www.cia-landlords.co.uk/news/the-uk-cities-worst-affected-by-the-housing-crisis/
Cromarty, H., Greaves, F., Rankl, F., & Barton, C. (2024, July 2024). Affordable Housing in England. Retrieved from House of Commons Library: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/affordable-housing-in-england/
Hayes, D. (2023, January 14). A Wall Divides Our City. Retrieved from The Tribune: https://www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk/a-wall-divides-our-city/
House of Commons. (2024). The Finances and Sustainability of the Social Housing Sector: Sixth Report of Session 2023–24. London: House of Commons.
Sheffield City Council. (2024). Housing Strategy 2024 - 2034. Sheffield: Sheffield City Council.
Sheffield City Council. (2025). Sheffield Plan Examination: Housing Trajectory. Sheffield: Sheffield City Council.
About the author: Enes Aydin is a PhD student at the University of Sheffield, School of Geography and Planning. His research examines the formulation of housing policies and their role in addressing housing inequalities in Sheffield. He is broadly interested in housing policymaking. If you'd like to contact Enes, please email: [email protected]
