CPA urges caution over Prescott's housing plan

The government's affordable housing plan, unveiled earlier today (Wednesday) by deputy prime minister John Prescott has been given a cautious welcome by the Construction Products Association (CPA).

Although Prescott acknowledged that there has to be a 'step change in housing supply', the CPA has still expressed concern that the plan, Sustainable Communities:  Building for the Future, has not addressed the increasing lack of affordable housing.

Jean Emblin, CPA's external affairs director, said:  "Fewer houses are currently being built per year than at any time since 1945. While we welcome the government's commitment to increase funding for new affordable housing and its efforts to put in place new legislation to help this, there is a long way to go. 

"The current provision of affordable housing is woefully inadequate, particularly in the south east where the highest degree of housing demand remains, and we welcome, among the various initiatives, the identification of four priority growth areas and the planned action on empty properties.

"However, government must ensure that its short-term targets are delivered on time and that obstacles, such as planning and the large scale voluntary transfers, do not hold back government's delivery of these commitments," she said. 

"We estimate that affordable housing provision must more than double to meet the rising need by 2005/6 and the government must now set new, long-term targets to ensure that there is truly a decent home for all in the years ahead."