Government pledges new family homes

Posted: 30 Nov 2006 09:57:43 GMT

The government has announced plans to boost the number of family homes built every year, reforming the planning system and requiring councils to plan for long-term needs

The government has announced plans to boost the number of family homes built every year, reforming the planning system and requiring councils to plan for long-term needs.

New requirements will also force councils to ensure that new developments are family-friendly, with mixed numbers of bedrooms and outdoor play areas.

They will also be given new powers to refuse planning applications on environmental grounds, if developments are poorly planned or environmentally unfriendly.

"We need to build more and better quality homes for the next generation," said housing minister Yvette Cooper.

"If we don't deliver more homes, we will see growing pressures on first-time buyers, overcrowding and social housing waiting lists.

"But we also need higher quality homes and neighbourhoods too. That means better design but also higher environmental standards to help cut carbon emissions."

Linden Homes, one of the country's biggest homebuilders, said that the proposals did not go far enough in tackling resistance to new building or specifying density requirements, however.

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