David Cameron has forced the Conservatives into a U-turn as he committed the party to housebuilding, although the party will still not back deputy prime minister John Prescott’s plans for 3m new homes in the south of England.
The new party leader said new homes were needed as a matter of economic efficiency and social justice. He called opponents of new development “bananas”.
He accused the government a creating a planning system that encouraged people to “build absolutely nothing anywhere near anyone”.
Cameron said the Conservatives would change the planning system to give local people more involvement and the party would also set standards for “beautiful” and more energy-efficient architecture.
He also criticised the proposed planning gain supplement.
Meanwhile, new research from Oxford University says deterioration in housing affordability is likely to continue since cash from property investment trusts will be injected into the market this year and the stock market has been so strong.
References: Financial Times 27/03/06 page 4, page 17 (Comment), The Times 27/03/06 page 2, The Daily Telegraph 27/03/06 page 10, The Independent 27/03/06 page 15
