National Housing and Planning Advice Unit new interim Chair announced

Published	13 November 2009

Communities and Local Government today announced that Dr Peter Williams will be taking up the position as interim Chair of the Board of the National Housing and Planning Advice Unit (NHPAU).

Peter Williams brings a wealth of experience in housing and mortgage markets, is widely respected within the housing sector and has been a key member of the Board of the NHPAU since its creation. He will be taking over from Steve Nickell who, as Chair of the NHPAU, established the Unit as an authoritative and valuable source of independent, expert and evidence-based advice on housing requirements.

Also announced today is the extension of the Board appointments to the end of February 2011.

The new interim chair of NHPAU, Peter Williams said:

"Housing affordability and housing supply remain critical issues for our country both nationally and locally. Decisions on how many homes should be built, what type and where must be informed by clear and impartial evidence about what is required and the consequences of not meeting these needs for both households and the economy.

"This is the important job the NHPAU has been doing so well over the last three years under Steve Nickell's Chairmanship. I'm delighted to be succeeding him as Chair heading up a very focused board and executive team and working, in particular, with local authorities over the coming months, to help shape responses on this key issue. We need more homes and although some might disagree, current and future generations will not thank us if we step back from that task."

Steve Nickell said:

"I was appointed for three years and have thoroughly enjoyed that time as Chair of the National Housing and Planning Advice Unit. It has been a busy and stimulating period focused on both the social and economic impacts of worsening housing affordability. I am standing down to concentrate on my other interests including roles on the Board of the UK Statistics Authority and the Advisory Committee on Civil Costs for the Ministry of Justice.

"It has been a pleasure to work with my fellow board members and key stakeholders in housing to keep affordability high on the agenda. It continues to be a major challenge for this country and I believe that the Unit has made huge strides in furthering our understanding of the issue and putting in place practical steps to address it."

Notes for editors

1. The appointment of the interim Chair and the extension to the Board appointments have been made in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

2. The National Housing and Planning Advice Unit is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) sponsored by Communities and Local Government. It provides independent advice and strengthens the evidence and analysis on improving housing market affordability available to the regional planning bodies throughout the planning process.

3. The NHPAU comprises an expert Board and a small specialist team of around 13 staff. The Board shape and steer the work of the Unit. Day to day leadership is provided by the Chief Executive, Neil McDonald, who heads a Unit comprising economists, statisticians, planners and researchers.

4. The time commitment for the Board is around 2.5 days a month (maximum 30 days a year) with remuneration of £468 per day for the Chair and £350 per day for the Board Members.

5. The Board appointments have been made in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity (if any declared) to be made public. None of the appointees has declared any political activity.

Biographies of Board members:

1. Chair - Peter Williams
Peter is an independent consultant on housing and mortgage markets. His clients include the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association and Acadametrics. He was previously Deputy Director General of the Council of Mortgage Lenders. Prior to that, he was Professor of Housing Management at Cardiff University, Deputy Director at the Chartered Institute of Housing and an academic at the Australian National University and the University of Birmingham. He previously served on the Board of the Housing Corporation (1995-2002) and Housing for Wales (1989-1993). He is a Visiting Professor at the Centre for Housing Policy at the University of York.

Peter is the linked Board member for the West Midlands and South East regions.

2. Paul Cheshire
Paul has been Professor of Economic Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science since 1995. Prior to this he was Professor of Urban and Regional Economics at the University of Reading and has spent time at Washington University in the USA. He has written extensively and conducted research on applied urban and regional economics, particularly the economics of housing, land markets and land use regulation.
Paul is the linked Board member for London and the East Midlands region.

3. Glen Bramley
Professor of Housing and Planning/Urban Studies at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh since 1994 leading research on planning, housing and urban policy. Prior to this he lectured in Urban Studies at the University of Bristol specialising in local government finance, housing and economic aspects of public policy. He has published papers and extensive research analysing the economics around housing affordability and its relationship with planning and house building.

Glen is the linked Board member for the South West and North East regions.

4. Bob Lane
Bob is currently Chair of the London Thames Gateway Urban Development Corporation and a Board member of the Homes and Communities Agency. Until April 2008 he was Chief Executive for North Northants Development Company responsible for housing growth and regeneration in the area. His previous roles include Chief Executive of Speke Garston Development Company, Liverpool, Assistant Chief Executive of the Merseyside Development Corporation and roles at Oldham and Lambeth Councils managing urban programmes. He is a specialist in the delivery of complex urban regeneration projects, with more than twenty five years experience as a regeneration practitioner/manager.

Bob is the linked Board member for the East of England and the North West regions.

5. Max Steinberg
Max has been Chief Executive of Elevate East Lancashire, a housing market renewal pathfinder since 2003, following 25 years at the Housing Corporation where his roles included, Director of Investment and Regeneration for the North and Regional Director of the North West and Merseyside. He is a leading UK practitioner in Urban Regeneration and Housing. Max is Chair of the Board of Liverpool John Moores University European Institute for Urban Affairs and the Chair of Governors at King David High School in Liverpool.

Max is the linked Board member for the Yorkshire and Humber region.