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In Focus

Affordable housing

Thursday, 12 Jul 2007 00:00

Affordable housing

With rising house prices and a shortage of well-priced properties, affordable housing has rapidly changed from a social to political issue.

In his first statement as prime minister, Gordon Brown said he would make affordable housing a priority, alongside standard New Labour commitments.

Mr Brown pledged to build three million new homes by 2020, including 210,000 affordable homes. This stems from the government belief the lack of affordable housing has been caused by a shortage of housing stock.

The Conservatives have expressed more scepticism that the country can build its way out of a housing crisis, while individual local councils have proved resistant to many housing schemes.

politics.co.uk discusses the various solutions put forward to the housing crisis, as well as the case for new home building.

Responses 

  • Bring down the barriers to the housing ladder

    Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps says the Conservatives will support new home building plans, but on the condition developments are sustainable, eco-communities built on brownfield sites with local support. Local authorities should be given financial incentives for new developments.More...

  • We must do more to help first-time buyers

    Housing minister Yvette Cooper warns politicians cannot ignore the need to build more houses to contain prohibitive house price growth. She says the government is committed to protecting the green belt, but local interest groups and politicians must drop their opposition to sustainable new communities. More...

  • Making affordable housing affordable

    Liberal Democrat communities and local government spokesman Andrew Stunell calls on the government to make housing truly affordable. Gordon Brown must focus on social rented housing as much as home-ownership, he warns, or risk a rise in repossessions and homelessness. More...

Responses 

  • Places for People

    Housing has risen up the political agenda in the past twelve monthsMore...

  • Aster Group

    The prime minister’s promise to make housing a national priority and build three million new homes by 2020 has been warmly welcomedMore...

  • Crisis

    Crisis welcomes the prime minister’s commitment to put affordable housing “within the reach not just of the few but the many”More...