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More houses - more affordable? - Freddie Dawkins (29th Aug 2007 - 14:41:52) The Planning Inspector's report on the South East of England's Regional Assembly's view of what we should have built in the region for the next 20 years has just been published. The Inspectors want the region to have more housing than the region planned to originally accept. Here's the quick summary: EXTRA HOMES WILL NEED EXTRA INVESTMENT An independent report calling for more homes in the South East received cautious acceptance today from the South East England Regional Assembly - as long as Government funds vital extra infrastructure. But there was strong support for the report's findings on affordable homes, which back the Assembly's argument that Government funding not mass building is needed to make housing more affordable. Planning inspectors gave the Assembly's 20-year South East Plan a clean bill of health on 11 out of 12 key topics. They praised the Assembly's approach to climate change, water resources and joint work with SEEDA on a single delivery plan covering the South East Plan and Regional Economic Strategy. On the final key topic- housing - the inspectors have recommended the region builds 32,000 homes a year until 2026, instead of 28,900 a year proposed by the Assembly. Assembly Chairman Cllr Keith Mitchell said: “The South East is committed to maintaining its position as the UK's economic powerhouse and this report shows we can do that without the need for the massive levels of housebuilding proposed by Government. “We do recognise the world has moved on since we prepared our figures three years ago and around half the inspectors' increase comes from Assembly member councils, who have offered to accommodate more housing. “Infrastructure costing £89 billion was central to our original plans to make sure new homes have good transport, schools, parks and water supplies - but obviously that bill will now rise to meet demand from extra homes and deliver much needed affordable housing.” He added: “The inspectors praise our “pioneering work” on infrastructure, and we are confident this will strengthen our case for extra Government investment to support new, more ambitious house building targets.” Government will now consider the inspectors' report before consulting on changes to the South East Plan recommended in the report. Consultation is expected at the end of the year. Full details at: www.southeast-ra.gov.uk/southeastplan/...

Re: More houses - more affordable? - liz (29th Aug 2007 - 15:08:03) The key message seems to be that 'Government funding not mass housebuilding' is the key to more affordable homes. The Government's inspectors said it was not possible for the nation to build its way out of the affordability crisis. Although the 32,000 target is below the region's proposed 28,900 it is lower than the 38,000 target set by the Government Office for the South East. Gordon Brown has been reigned in a bit it seems.

Re: More houses - more affordable? - Mike Grimes (30th Aug 2007 - 00:06:49) Government funding rather than house building to solve housing shortage? How does that work then? A government funded mass cull of the population? Get real, the only humane way of solving a housing shortage (which is the sole reason behind housing unafordability) is to build more dwellings. More supply of houses = cheaper houses. Economic fact. Second economic fact: So called "affordable houses" are for "others" to live in, right. They help our social conscience but we would not aspire to live in one, would we? I'm not attacking those that do live in "affordable" housing, but rather the condescending attitude of those that don't. Third economic fact: If enough "desirable" housing were built, all housing would become affordable due to supply exceeding demand. Fourth economic fact: If you build this anywhere near us it will depress the value of our houses, won't it?

Re: More houses - more affordable? - sue (30th Aug 2007 - 09:36:42) What is the right price to pay for a house? Each 'area' has its own benchmark. Its no wonder more want to build in the South - we have such over priced property here. The ones I really feel sorry for are those hundreds daily who have their homes re-possessed because they can't keep up with the excessive borrowing needed just to have a roof over their heads. My son has already decided that to get a 'home' he will either have to go north - or leave the country altogether!. In most cases affordable houses to the likes of us who have been on the property ladder for over 10 years is probably not affordable to those yet to start - no matter how many schemes are put in place.

Re: More houses - more affordable? - liz (30th Aug 2007 - 10:23:24) I understand that the Government funding would be for a higher proportion of affordable housing.

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