黑洞社区

David Cameron has called for a 鈥渘ew Tory housing revolution鈥� in his leader鈥檚 speech to the Conservative conference.

Speaking to delegates in Manchester, Cameron confirmed announcements made earlier in the week to boost housing supply, including the return of Margaret Thatcher鈥檚 right-to-buy policy. He said: 鈥淏ecause lenders won鈥檛 lend, builders won鈥檛 build and buyers can鈥檛 buy. We鈥檙e sorting this out, bringing back the right-to-buy and using the money to build new homes.鈥�

He also reaffirmed the government鈥檚 drive to reform the planning system, despite opposition from groups who fear it will lead to over-development. He said: 鈥淚 love our countryside and there is nothing I would do to put it at risk. But let鈥檚 get the balance right. The proportion of land that in England that is currently built up is 9%. There are businesses out there desperate to expand, to hire thousands of people 鈥� but they鈥檙e stuck in the mud of our planning system.鈥�

However, in an apparent nod to ongoing discussions about the wording of the reforms and the prospect of a transitional period, he added: 鈥淥f course we鈥檙e open to constructive ideas about how to get this [reform] right.鈥�

Opening his speech by saying the country wanted the government to 鈥済et us out of this economic mess鈥�, Cameron told delegates 鈥淭his was no normal recession; we鈥檙e in a debt crisis.鈥� He reiterated comments made by chancellor George Osborne earlier in the week that the government was 鈥渢aking action now to get credit flowing to the small businesses that are the engine of the economy.鈥�

However, despite restating commitments to High Speed rail, academies and free schools, Cameron remained staunch over his refusal to increase public spending. He said: 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e in a debt crisis, some of the normal things that government can do, to deal with a normal recession, like borrowing to cut taxes or increase spending 鈥� these things won鈥檛 work because they lead to more debt, which would make the crisis worse.鈥�

Reacting to Cameron鈥檚 speech, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has called on the coalition to reduce the burden on house builders.

FMB director general Richard Diment said: 鈥淚f Cameron wants to lead a housing revolution he needs to deliver on his government鈥檚 commitment to reduce the burden on house builders over the course of the parliament.

鈥淎t the moment this isn鈥檛 going to happen. This government has encouraged local authorities to introduce the Community Infrastructure Levy, the removal of housing targets has resulted in the scrapping of plans for two years鈥� supply of house building, and plans for zero carbon homes are continuing despite the policy going further and faster than required by EU directives. 

鈥淐ameron can have his revolution but he needs to get the coalition鈥檚 housing policies to fit in with his ambitions.鈥�