Building Blocks For Better Neighbourhoods

摘要

Until a few weeks ago, politicians appeared to have overlooked a common sense solution to the prospect of mounting repossessions, forcing ever-more homeless families to join the 1.8m people on council waiting lists. Now the housing world has been turned upside down. Prime minister, Gordon Brown, has pledge to remove barriers to councils building new homes, and ministers are willing to consider approaches previously deemed unthinkable. APSE has campaigned for many years for changes to the financial and regulatory system that would enable local authorities to fulfil their house-building potential. The economic downturn now makes the case for councils to contribute towards government targets for three million new homes by 2020 more compelling. Building affordable homes is now recognised as a way to get the housing market moving. Empty construction company order books have obvious knock-on effects on suppliers of bricks, cement, timber and other goods. On the plus side, local authorities have sites allocated for housing in their development plans - some of which they own and can be used to drive regeneration.