Homes and Communities Agency

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), established under the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008, is the national housing and regeneration delivery agency for England. We work nationally but supports the ambitions of our local partners to provide better places that offer great homes and good jobs. We will engage all local partners through a ‘Single Conversation’ in order to secure better local outcomes and meet national targets. In this regard, our role is to:

• improve the supply and quality of housing
• secure the regeneration or development of land or infrastructure
• support in other ways the creation, regeneration or development of communities or their continued well-being
• contribute to the achievement of sustainable development and good design, with a view to meeting the needs of people

We also work in other capacities to assist in the delivery of quality places and communities.

The Skills and Knowledge Directorate (formerly the HCA Academy, and the Academy for Sustainable Communities) has been incorporated into the skills arm of the HCA. It provides practitioners involved in sustainable communities and the built environment access to education, training and resources. Its courses for professional planners and non-planners aim to provide people with the tools to enable delivery of sustainable places and communities, placing people at the heart.

The HCA-Advisory Team for Large Application (ATLAS) is an independent advisory service providing practical support to local authorities in areas of significant growth and large-scale developments. Its ATLAS Guide provides advice and guidance to all stakeholders involved in taking forward large development projects. It presents a logical process through the planning system from project inception through to the delivery of development projects.

Download a detailed Information Sheet on relevant HCA, HCA Academy and HCA-ATLAS guidance (PDF, 2 pages, 72KB).