The Big Society, localism and housing policy

The Big Society’ and ‘Localism’ have become buzz words since the formation of the coalition government in 2010, and their influence can already be seen in housing policy and practice in the UK. This varies however depending on how devolved administrations and local authorities use their powers and budgets. Devolving power downwards may therefore lead to greater divergence in housing policy than we have seen under devolution so far. Understanding the varied geographical impact of these ideas is a key aim of this series, which will be held in Sheffield, Belfast and St Andrews during 2013-14.