Bury Housing Strategy 2026 to 2036: Frequently Asked Questions

A housing strategy is a plan that sets out a council's long-term vision, priorities and approach to housing in its area. It looks at housing in the round: how many homes are needed and of what types, the condition and use of existing homes, affordability, homelessness, support for people with particular needs, and the role housing plays in health, wellbeing and the strength of local communities.

It is a strategic document rather than a detailed operational plan. It sets the direction and priorities, and other plans, policies and services then works within that framework to deliver them.

Bury faces significant housing challenges. The borough's population is growing and ageing, house prices and rents have risen faster than incomes, demand for affordable and social housing far exceeds supply, and much of the borough's housing stock is older and harder to adapt or keep warm. At the same time, there are major opportunities, including regeneration of our town centres and large new housing sites planned through the Places for Everyone plan.

A housing strategy allows the Council and its partners to respond to these challenges and opportunities in a planned, coordinated way, rather than dealing with issues in isolation. It also strengthens the Council's position when bidding for external funding, for example from Homes England and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, by demonstrating clear, evidence-based priorities.

The strategy itself is not a statutory document, meaning there is no specific law requiring the Council to produce one. However, councils do have a legal duty under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1985 to consider housing conditions and the need for further housing in their area from time to time. Bury commissioned a review of housing needs in 2025 to fulfil this duty, and the findings of that review form the evidence base for this strategy.

The strategy also helps the Council bring together and respond to a wide range of statutory duties it holds in relation to housing, including duties around homelessness, housing standards and its responsibilities as a social landlord.

The Council's existing Housing Strategy covered the period 2021 to 2025 and has come to the end of its life. Since it was written, there have been major changes in national housing policy and legislation, in how local services are delivered, and in the housing market itself. The 2025 review of housing needs provided up-to-date evidence about what Bury needs. A new strategy is needed to make sure the Council's approach reflects this evidence and the current environment.

The draft strategy, called Homes for Bury, covers the ten years from 2026 to 2036. Its vision is that everyone in Bury has access to a safe, affordable home that reduces inequalities, supports health and wellbeing, and creates strong, thriving communities. It is built around five strategic objectives:

• Delivering more homes to meet Bury's needs, in the right places and of the right types
• Improving the quality, efficiency and use of existing homes across all tenures
• Enabling access to homes that meet people's needs and support independence, health and wellbeing
• Preventing homelessness and creating stable housing pathways
• Being an excellent landlord, with better council homes and stronger places

The strategy sets out what the Council and its partners will do under each of these objectives, covering new housing delivery, town centre regeneration, council housing, specialist and supported housing, homelessness prevention, the private rented sector, and creating sustainable, healthy neighbourhoods.

The Council commissioned arc4, an independent housing consultancy, to develop the strategy. arc4 specialises in housing research and strategy and has extensive experience of producing housing needs assessments and housing strategies for councils across the country, including in Greater Manchester. The strategy remains the Council's own document, and decisions about its content and adoption rest with the Council.

A review of housing needs across the borough was carried out in 2025, providing up-to-date evidence on the number, types and affordability of homes Bury needs, now and in the future. Early engagement has taken place with residents, tenants, elected members, Team Bury partners, registered housing providers, developers and a wide range of other stakeholders, and their input has shaped the draft. The draft strategy was then approved by Cabinet for public consultation, which is the stage we are at now.

Yes, affordable housing is one of the strategy's biggest priorities. The evidence shows a net shortfall of over 1,000 affordable homes a year in Bury, and more than 2,000 households on the housing register. The strategy commits the Council to maximising affordable housing through new development, through its own council house building programme, and by working closely with housing associations and Homes England to bring in investment. It also seeks the right mix of affordable homes, including social rented homes and affordable routes into home ownership.

The Council is the largest landlord in Bury, with around 7,700 homes, and the strategy commits £60 million over three years to bring council homes up to the Decent Homes Standard, with further investment in energy efficiency. It also commits to a better, more reliable repairs service, a robust response to damp and mould, and a stronger voice for tenants in decisions about their homes and neighbourhoods. The Council will also work with housing associations operating in the borough to raise standards and deliver new affordable homes.

The strategy's ambition is that homelessness in Bury is rare, brief and does not happen again. The focus is on prevention: helping people early, before they lose their home. Where people do need somewhere to stay, the Council will reduce its reliance on bed and breakfast accommodation in favour of good-quality, self-contained temporary homes, and will increase the supply of settled housing for people to move on to. A comprehensive review of homelessness in the borough has been completed and will inform a new Homelessness Strategy.

The evidence identifies a need for around 4,500 additional specialist housing units in Bury by 2043, including extra care housing for older people and supported living for people with disabilities or mental health needs. The strategy supports a shift towards more independent accommodation where people have their own front door, alongside accessible and adaptable homes in new development, help to adapt existing homes, and better support for groups including care leavers and survivors of domestic abuse.

Nearly one in five households in Bury now rents from a private landlord, and while many private rented homes are good, over a fifth do not meet the Decent Homes Standard. The strategy takes a balanced approach: supporting responsible landlords, while taking firm action against poor conditions and poor management, including civil penalties and, where necessary, prosecution. The Council is strengthening its enforcement capacity, improving the regulation of houses in multiple occupation, and will explore the case for selective licensing in areas where standards are a concern. It is also preparing for the Renters' Rights Act, which significantly strengthens tenants' rights and councils' enforcement powers.

Bury's strategy has been developed to align with the wider Greater Manchester picture. This includes the Places for Everyone plan, which identifies the land needed for new homes across nine Greater Manchester districts, and the priorities of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on housing, homelessness and achieving carbon neutrality by 2038. Working at Greater Manchester level also helps Bury secure investment, for example through the Combined Authority's housing and brownfield funding programmes and joint work on private rented sector standards.

Once adopted, the strategy will guide decisions about housing across the borough for the next ten years. In practice this means it will:

• Set the priorities that shape the Council's housing services, investment and delivery programmes
• Guide how the Council works with housing associations, developers, health partners and communities
• Support bids for external funding by showing clear, evidence-based priorities
• Provide a framework against which progress can be monitored and the Council held to account

A delivery plan will sit alongside the strategy, setting out the specific actions that will be taken, and progress will be monitored throughout the life of the strategy.

No. The Local Plan and the Places for Everyone plan are statutory planning documents that decide where new development can take place and set planning policies for the borough. The housing strategy is broader: it covers not just new homes but also existing homes, affordability, homelessness, support for vulnerable residents and the Council's role as a landlord. The two work together. The housing strategy is designed to align with the Local Plan and Places for Everyone, and with wider plans such as the Council's Let's Do It! strategy and Corporate Plan.

No. Decisions about individual sites are made through the planning system, including the Places for Everyone plan, the emerging Bury Local Plan and individual planning applications, each of which has its own consultation processes. The housing strategy sets the overall direction, for example the types and mix of homes the borough needs, but it does not allocate land or grant planning permission.

The Council wants the final strategy to reflect the views, experiences and priorities of the people who live and work in Bury. Consulting while the strategy is still in draft means residents and stakeholders can genuinely influence its content before decisions are made. The consultation will also help the Council understand how the proposals might affect different groups, which will inform an Equality Impact Assessment.

Yes. All responses will be reviewed and analysed, and the feedback will be used to shape the final version of the strategy. The report that goes to Cabinet seeking approval of the final strategy will include a summary of the consultation findings and explain how they have been taken into account.

You can:

• Complete the online survey, or the easy read version of the survey 
• Email your comments to housingstrategy@bury.gov.uk
• Join our online event on Monday 7 September, 6pm – 7.30pm for all residents and stakeholders or Tuesday 8 September, 6pm – 7.30pm for those aged 35 and under. To book a place, call freephone 0800 612 9133 or email lynne.shaw@arc4.co.uk

The consultation runs from Thursday 13 August to Thursday 5 November.

Yes. An executive summary, an easy read version of the strategy and a short video explaining the strategy are all available on this page. An easy read version of the survey is also available. If you would like a paper copy of any of the documents, or information in another format, call freephone 0800 612 9133 or email lynne.shaw@arc4.co.uk.

Once the consultation closes on Thursday 5 November, all the feedback will be analysed and used to prepare the final strategy and its delivery plan. These will be presented to Cabinet for approval, along with a report summarising what the consultation found. Once approved, the strategy will be formally adopted and published, and delivery will begin, with progress monitored throughout its ten-year life.

You can email housingstrategy@bury.gov.uk or call the freephone number 0800 612 9133, which is available 24 hours a day.