The housing and homelessness charity Shelter has renewed its call for more homes, as Government figures show the number of new homes built has fallen by eight per cent in three months.
The Department for Communities and Local Government reported that the number of new build housing starts between January-March 2013 was four per cent higher than the previous quarter, at 27,370, but completions, at 24,900, were eight per cent lower.
Campbell Robb, Shelter’s Chief Executive said: "This is yet another set of worrying figures. With a gloomy construction sector continuing to drag down growth, the Government must be starting to realise that its policies simply aren’t working.
"Short-term quick-fix announcements may have stolen some headlines, but the reality is a that generation's hope for a home of their own is continuing to slip away because of our chronic shortage of affordable homes.
"If the Government is serious about building more homes, it needs to show some leadership on the tough decisions we face.
"Whether it’s finding new capital investment, freeing up councils to borrow to build more homes, or getting garden cities off the ground, we need bolder action and long-term thinking to pull housebuilding out of this slump."
He concluded: "The Government must use next month’s Comprehensive Spending Review to announce large-scale projects that will deliver the homes we need, or it will find it more difficult than ever to convince a priced-out generation that it’s on their side."
Ekklesia
The Department for Communities and Local Government reported that the number of new build housing starts between January-March 2013 was four per cent higher than the previous quarter, at 27,370, but completions, at 24,900, were eight per cent lower.
Campbell Robb, Shelter’s Chief Executive said: "This is yet another set of worrying figures. With a gloomy construction sector continuing to drag down growth, the Government must be starting to realise that its policies simply aren’t working.
"Short-term quick-fix announcements may have stolen some headlines, but the reality is a that generation's hope for a home of their own is continuing to slip away because of our chronic shortage of affordable homes.
"If the Government is serious about building more homes, it needs to show some leadership on the tough decisions we face.
"Whether it’s finding new capital investment, freeing up councils to borrow to build more homes, or getting garden cities off the ground, we need bolder action and long-term thinking to pull housebuilding out of this slump."
He concluded: "The Government must use next month’s Comprehensive Spending Review to announce large-scale projects that will deliver the homes we need, or it will find it more difficult than ever to convince a priced-out generation that it’s on their side."
Ekklesia
