Remit

1. To provide and publish authoritative, non-binding advice to Government, the relevant Regional Assemblies (RAs) and the Mayor of London for the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) process (in London the Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) process), on: a distribution of regional affordability targets that would be consistent with the Government's overall ambitions for housing affordability and supply; the methodology for translating regional affordability targets into housing numbers; its assessment of the implications of the recommended regional affordability targets for the level and broad distribution of future house building in the region.
   
   
2. To develop its advice in dialogue with the RAs, the Mayor of London and other regional stakeholders. The NHPAU should quickly establish strong clear links with these bodies. It should also seek to establish good working relationships with other relevant bodies to ensure consistency and to avoid duplication: for example the ONS, the Regional Observatories and the Academy for Sustainable Communities.
   
   
3. To provide authoritative advice to the Examination in Public on the RSS /SDS, including advice on the affordability implications of proposals for housing put forward by the RA or Mayor of London within the RSS /SDS and their consistency with other relevant regional strategies.
   
   
4. To encourage the compilation of nationally-consistent regional evidence in support of the preparation of the RSS/SDS and other relevant regional strategies.
   
   
5. To disseminate and help Government and the RAs develop consistent methodological practice in assessing the implications for economic, social and environmental sustainability at different spatial scales of different quantities and distributions of house building.
   
   
6. To commission research and disseminate good practice in support of the above activities