RICS welcomes government boost for housing

Government proposals for 200,000 new houses, measures to provide homes for key workers and the simplification of the planning process have been welcomed by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) this afternoon.

RICS has long advocated incentives for greater use of brownfield sites, higher density housing, better construction standards, and a more focussed approach to planning for new homes.

So, it said, the announcement by deputy prime minister John Prescott goes a long way to providing solutions to the chronic shortage of good affordable homes, especially in the south of the country. Questions, however, still remain over the speed of delivery.

A RICS housing policy spokesman said: "After years of fine words the government has finally produced firm proposals to tackle the serious issue of housing shortages.

"We particularly welcome the announcement of intervention measures to ensure local authorities meet their housing targets, the register of brownfield sites and the extension of the programmes for affordable housing."

The RICS added that it wanted to see the fine print to get some idea of the time scale for the proposals.

"While they have much to commend them, it remains to be seen whether they have the desired impact," added the spokesman. "This means producing the right numbers in the right places, at the right time and at the right price, enabling key workers and others to live close to where they choose to work."