Tories launch social housing plan
Friday, 13 February 2009 12:00 AM
By politics.co.uk
The Conservatives have announced a new programme designed to use the 700,000 currently empty homes in England for social housing.
Conservative leader David Cameron said they would temporarily relax the rules and regulations currently in place to allow the affordable housing sector to make use of empty buildings.
"At this incredibly difficult time, it's vital that we focus our resources on helping families and people struggling at the sharp end of this recession," said Mr Cameron.
"This will not only provide real help now to the 4.5 million people currently on the social housing waiting list and the one hundred families that are having their home repossessed every day.
"It will also go a long way towards reducing the crime and anti-social behaviour associated with empty housing and preventing an over-correction in house prices by putting a floor in the housing market."
Under the Empty Property Rescue (EPR) scheme, the Tories said they would suspend design and quality standard requirements and remove sustainability requirements for the existing homes.
They would encourage housing associations and others to explore various ways to bring disused housing back into use.
This would include using housing of a lower standard than new build, which would allow low-priority people waiting for homes the possibility of finding a house sooner.
"We urge the government to follow our lead and help those families desperate for a home," said shadow housing minister, Grant Shapps.
"With 1.8 million families on the social housing waiting list, 130,000 children homeless and the recession deepening, it's time to bring forward innovative policies that can use the million empty homes across the UK to house those most in need."
But the Liberal democrats accused the Tories of lowering standards.
Sarah Teather, the party's housing spokesperson, said: "This shows just how out of touch the Tories are.
"They have no idea of what it's like for a family living in a social home. Lowering the standards in this way will condemn families to living in cramped or drafty homes for 15 or 20 years as they wait to be re-housed.
"To make a real difference to empty housing, we need to reduce VAT on renovation and rebuilding work to make bringing these homes back in to use much cheaper."
There are currently more than 1.77 million households on the waiting list for housing in England.
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