<b></b><p></p><p>What does a business need to run effectively and successfully? A good product? Sure. A clear strategy? Yes. A bit of luck? Without doubt. But surely the key to the success of any business is a degree of certainty to allow for effective planning.</p><p>That is the problem with the process being used by local authorities to provide affordable housing. Housebuilders don&amp;’t know where they stand. </p><p>The recent High Court case see article <b>'Legal challenge..'</b> below in which developers challenged Oxford council on its redefining of its affordable housing strategy illustrates the problem only too well. Out of the blue the amount of affordable housing to be built has increased by half again, making schemes much less economic. Two recent reports see article <b>'Affordable policy'</b> below confirm the muddled thinking. </p><p>The government has decided that planning gain will be a major tool in affordable housing provision - housebuilders understand this and will accept it, as long as they know from the outset what the deal is. We will soon see the Green Paper, and affordable housing provision is set to be an important aspect of the proposals. </p><p>Let us hope the government can add a degree of clarity and stability to …