3 million new homes to be built by 2020

Buildingtalk takes a look at the potential risks and benefits in new government proposals for a massive house building programme aiming to build 3 million new homes by 2020.

The housing crisis, particularly affordable homes for first time buyers, has certainly now risen to the top of the agenda with Gordon Brown, our new Prime Minister, announcing proposals for a massive house building programme, with a total of 3 million new homes to be built by 2020.

These targets are to be met through changes in the planning system, new public-private partnerships and the release of surplus public land.

Some still fear that green field sites will also come into the equation, particularly after Housing Minister Yvette Cooper refused to deny this prospect.

At Buildingtalk we welcome the opportunities all this will bring in the house building sector and elsewhere, such as support infrastructure projects.

However, as David Orr, chief executive, National Housing Federation, said: "It is crucial that we deal with our desperate shortage of affordable homes".

"This means delivering 70,000 new homes per year for rent and low cost ownership".

"Any less than this will represent a failure of ambition on the part of the Government and condemn a generation to live in substandard, overcrowded and overpriced housing".

Also, with two-thirds of new affordable homes likely to be built on former industrial land we should get clarity about who will bear the long term liabilities.

We need to learn the lessons from the last housing 'gold-rush' which encouraged building in flood risk areas.

We now have round 5 million people, in 2 million properties, living in flood risk areas in England and Wales and don't need reminding about the consequences.

Aon, leading risk consultant and insurance broker, warned us that there will be significant clean-up costs and liability risks from possible contamination on brownfield sites.

Another major concern in the rush to build new housing is that currently the energy used to heat, light and run our homes accounts for 27 per cent of all of the UK's carbon emissions - around 40 million tonnes - so it is important that carbon reduction measures impact this sector.

For example, the National Federation of Roofing Contractors and Spectus Windows were typical of many in the industry who are calling on Government to reduce VAT on energy efficient and microgeneration products.

A number of Housing Asssociations who are already successfully delivering new housing have made the point that environmental standards are also important and private house builders should be compelled to meet the same tough standards and timetable as housing associations.

Finally, like most people in the industry, we welcome the opportunities all this new housing will bring in the house building sector and elsewhere, such as support infrastructure projects, however let's not forget that new build only represents a fraction of the housing stock in the UK.

The government needs to energise the market in refurbishing homes including renewing whole estates of under-occupied poor housing.

This is vital if we are to have good standard homes for all and not just a relatively few new homes for those who can afford them.

Remember that you can use the search facilities on Buildingtalk to look in more detail at other industry comments on the latest house building proposals.

You can also check out the listing in the Building Industry News section, especially the stories relating to 'Building energy efficiency and sustainability'.

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