Local government minister Nick Raynsford has predicted that public and government will take a more "ruthless" attitude to regeneration
Raynsford, who was writing in Building160, a supplement published to celebrate the magazine's 160th birthday, said our present series of urban regeneration projects was the equivalent of the post-war programme of slum clearances, and that at some point in the relatively near future, it would be over.

He added that, if it was to be successful, the government and public would take a harder line on demolishing "poor quality housing in low demand areas".

The former construction minister said the challenge was also about "ensuring the regular improvement and upgrading of housing that has got a future but is looking a bit long in the tooth".

He predicted that the public acceptance of regeneration would also mean a shift in attitudes to modern housing – and possibly even the relinquishing of Tudorbethan styling.

We will become more ruthless about demolishing housing

Nick Raynsford, local government minister

The minister said: "We will have become much more relaxed about modern technology and modern-looking housing." And he reiterated the government's often expressed view that the industry needs to make progress in improving housing quality and the use of off-site fabrication.

Raynsford also claimed that homebuyers would change their expectations of housing quality, because they would expect their purchases to "be built with zero defects and offer minimum energy consumption and low maintenance costs".