Podcast: On the Air
Our podcast, On the Air, brings together key industry figures, colleagues and customers for some lively conversations about what matters most in social housing.
Season 6
We're back with Season 6 and bringing you 6 brand new episodes covering all the very latest in social housing.
Join host Paula Palmer and her guests from across the sector as new episodes are released bimonthly from October. Subscribe wherever you get your podcast to keep up to date and never miss an episode.
Episode 1: How can social landlords rebuild trust with tenants?
The first episode of season 6 explores the relationship between social landlords and tenants which has come under scrutiny in recent years, with concerns about service quality, communication and tenant engagement.
We explore practical ways to rebuild trust, highlighting best practices from housing providers that are leading the way in customer satisfaction and feedback from a customer.
Host Paula Palmer is joined by David Ripley, Chief Operating Officer, Stonewater; Jo Allen, Head of Member Relations at the National Housing Federation and Joseph De-Ville, member of the Stop Social Housing Stigma Committee and the National Tenants Voice Group
Episode 2: Are new towns the answer to the housing crisis?
Following the latest updates from the New Towns Taskforce, this episode explores whether large-scale developments can realistically address the housing crisis — and what it takes to make them work.
The discussion begins with Lord Richard Best, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on New Towns, who shares insights from his extensive housing career and emphasizes the importance of linking housing with jobs, transport, and green spaces, while also touching on the need for flexible approaches to green belt reform and sustainable design principles.
Maurice Lange, Analyst at the Centre for Cities, adds an economic perspective, highlighting how proximity to cities drives growth and why location is critical for long-term success, and; finally, Matt Crucefix, Stonewater’s Director of Development (South and West), outlines opportunities for housing associations to influence planning early whilst discussing the challenges around planning reform, the need for collaboration between developers and councils, and how design codes can balance sustainability with affordability.
Episode 3: Who is social housing for?
With demand rising and supply shrinking, this episode asks a central question: Who is social housing really for? Our sector experts explore how allocations work, why fairness is so hard to achieve, and how shortages are reshaping both policy and public perception.
Holly Edwards, Stonewater, explains the realities of lettings, the pressures on councils, and the importance of creating sustainable communities. Tim Brown of De Montfort University and HQN, offers a historical and policy perspective, highlighting the ongoing challenge of ensuring fairness for vulnerable applicants and what we might cautiously learn from European systems. Mark Kent, Local Space, shares frontline insight into councils operating in “permanent emergency mode,” rising temporary accommodation use, and the role of intermediate rent while journalist Peter Apps rounds off the discussion by unpacking public misconceptions and arguing for social housing to be seen as a mainstream public service rather than a last‑resort option.
Episode 4: The next era of social housing
This episode explores the next era of social housing - safer, greener, more connected and shaped by a stronger tenant voice - through the lens of delivery. What does it take to turn policy ambition into day-to-day reality?
We talk to Clare Mills, Onboarding and Talent Lead, Stonewater; Lisa Collen, Group Director Culture & Organisational Design and Natalie Flageul, Executive Director of Customer Experience, Raven Housing Trust. The discussion covers everything from the importance of focusing on colleague experience, diversity, and empowerment to technology integration, and continuous learning to deliver consistent, customer-centred social housing services that meet evolving safety, regulatory, and investment standards.
Because the future of social housing isn’t just about regulation or technology; it’s about building organisations that can deliver consistently for customers.
Episode 5: Why are social homes sitting empty while waiting lists grow?
This episode explores why thousands of social homes remain vacant, even as housing waiting lists stretch for years. With some people waiting over a decade for a home, why is the sector struggling to bring empty properties back into use?
John Wickenden from Housemark, Paul Malone from Moving Soon and Charlie Bessant from Stonewater to explore why empty homes are rarely as simple as they appear. Together, they unpack the complex reality behind voids, looking at the many stages involved. The discussion also highlights how fragmented systems, resource pressures and changing regulations can all add time to the process, even when everyone involved is focused on getting homes ready as quickly as possible.
The episode also looks to the longer-term decisions that shape how empty homes are managed.
Episode 6: Can local people still afford to live in rural communities?
Rural communities across the UK are facing growing challenges when it comes to housing affordability. Rising house prices, second homes and short-term lets are making it increasingly difficult for local people, young families and key workers to remain in the communities where they grew up and work.
Timed to reflect on Rural Housing Week 2026, this episode with guests - Patrick Merton-Jones from the National Housing Federation, Rural Housing Enabler Programme Manager at ACRE, Max Banfield and Marie Riordan, Director of Development at Stonewater - explores the pressures affecting rural housing markets, the impact on local communities and the practical solutions helping to unlock affordable housing delivery.
They discuss how whilst more affordable housing is seen as a lifeline for rural communities, housing associations and other developers face significant barriers to delivering new affordable homes; including planning constraints, limited land availability, supply chain issues, viability challenges and local opposition to development.
We also examine the role of innovation, partnership working and community engagement in ensuring rural areas remain sustainable, thriving places where local people can continue to live and work.
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Looking for previous seasons?
Here you'll find seasons 1 to 5 of our award-winning podcast.
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