Planner joins Church of England’s housing commission

A planner is set to join a special commission to advise the Church of England on ways it can boost affordable housing on church land.

Nick Pollock, currently the head of planning for the Duchy of Cornwall, is set to join the Church of England’s new housing commission team.

Pollock will join the executive team on a two-day per week secondment from the Duchy of Cornwall, where he has worked for more than ten years.

Pollock has nearly 30 years of experience delivering housing and mixed-use developments, including as planning director at consultancy RPS and senior planner at consultancy Turley.

The three-strong housing commission team will report to the Church of England’s lead bishop for housing, Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani.

The Commission on Housing, Church and Community this week released a report outlining how the Church of England should deliver more affordable homes on its own land to help solve the housing crisis.

When it begins its work on March 1, the new team will offer advice and guidance to dioceses, church landowners and parishes to enable them to use their land to deliver more affordable housing and respond to local housing issues.

The team is supported by an advisory board which includes David Orr, former chief executive of the professional body the National Housing Federation.