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Sharon Graham,   BA (Hons), MCIH

Housing Strategist

Sharon is an experienced housing strategist with a comprehensive understanding of housing issues based on over14 years’ experience in this area of work. Sharon specialises in affordable housing delivery, where she has significant experience of both policy and practice,gained across a range of local authorities and regions.

 

Sharon has worked on a diverse portfolio of projects for arc4, including local,regional and sub regional housing strategies and investment plans, across both the North East, and Yorkshire and the Humber.

 

In 2005 Sharon completed an Affordable Housing Good Practice Manual for the Golden Triangle area of North Yorkshire (Leeds, Harrogate, York), funded through the Housing Corporation’s IGPG resources. The Manual established a good practice benchmark for the Yorkshire and Humber region in respect of delivering affordable housing through the planning process. This commission also involved delivering training for both planning and housing development officers, to help embed good practice principles.

 

In 2006 Sharon developed an Affordable Housing Strategy for the District of Easington Council, to help inform the Council’s developing LDF policies in respect of affordable housing, and she regularly contributes affordable housing policy and practice advice to our portfolio of Strategic Housing Market Assessments; currently working with councils in Selby and Tameside on detailed affordable housing policy advice. 

Other commissions include:

• Richmondshire District Council,assessing the impact on local housing markets of the growth of Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire, and recommending appropriate affordable housing policy options for the Council’s LDF.

• Developing an Affordable Housing Strategy for Manchester City Council and draft Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document.  This commission also included provision of training.

• Advising on development of a procedure guide for Stoke-on-Trent City Council to implement their affordable housing policy.

• Research for the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) on best practice in delivering affordable housing through the strategic housing role.   

• Developing an on-line affordable housing good practice toolkit for the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly.

• Exploring empty property strategy options for Richmondshire District Council,with a view to maximising affordable housing supply.

 

Sharon has a good understanding of local authorities and the strategic housing role based on ten years local authority experience. She has been responsible for housing strategy and development at Wokingham and Middlesbrough Councils, where she managed numerous local housing strategy reviews, developed and delivered local and sub regional investment plans, led on affordable housing negotiations, developed affordable housing supplementary planning guidance and monitored programmes and outputs. As a result she has significant experience of assessing and prioritising affordable housing development programmes.   

 

As Housing Development Manager at the City of York Council, Sharon was a key player in establishing the Golden Triangle Housing Partnership, formed to facilitate and increase the supply of affordable housing across the sub-region. She was responsible for delivering new affordable housing across the City in partnership with planning colleagues, RSLs, the Housing Corporation and developers. This included work on site specific development briefs, negotiations on complex sites involving competing priorities, and ensuring consistent application of policy (including delivery of affordable housing targets through planning obligations without the use of grant).

 

Whilst at Reading Sharon worked closely with the Housing Corporation to develop a robust and accountable RSL partner selection process, which was subsequently commended as a model of good practice by Government Office South East and adopted elsewhere.

 

Sharon is a professionally qualified, corporate member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.