The housing sector joined forces this week to demand new housing minister Lord Rooker and his boss, deputy prime minister John Prescott, fight for more money in the summer's comprehensive spending review.

Reforming the planning system to support increased affordable housing provision, extra funding for social landlords to build new homes and cash for low-demand areas emerged as the sector's policy wish list.

Chartered Institute of Housing president Richard Kitson said he would use the institute's annual conference next week to call for an extra £1.5bn a year for housing from the government.

Kitson is expected to call for an immediate £600m increase to the Housing Corporation's budget for new housing, which should rise to an extra £1bn by 2005/06. The institute and National Housing Federation will continue to demand an extra £500m a year for a long-term renewal fund to reinvent failed housing markets.

Kitson will also call for extra resources to make stock transfer "more attractive" and an increase in funding for arm's-length management organisations.

The federation said it was seeking a meeting with Rooker, who replaced Lord Falconer in last week's reshuffle, to set out its agenda. The housing, local government, planning and regional portfolios have moved from the DTLR to Prescott's Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Moat Housing Group chief executive John Barker said Rooker needed to "lighten up" on housing associations.

And Kelvin MacDonald, director of planning body Room, said Rooker's "traditional Labour provenance" could be good news for the sector. "We have had enough changes of department, we now need positive direction in policies and processes to ensure effective delivery of affordable housing and community via an improved planning system," he added..

The new pack of three

John Prescott

Responsible for local government, regional government, housing and regeneration. The old Labour heavy-hitter has been deputy prime minister since 1994 and was appointed secretary of state for the environment, transport and the regions in 1997. His white paper on regional government suggests mini-parliaments for England. Much derided for his brusque manner, he struck out at a protestor who threw an egg on him duringp last year’s election.

Lord Rooker

Housing and planning minister A chartered engineer who was elected as an MP in Birmingham Perry Barr in 1974, he launched a surprising attack on the budget in April, claiming that it unfairly favoured spending on health. As immigration minister for the last year, the 62-year-old controversially stated that most asylum seekers are “single men who have deserted their families for economic gain”. A former opposition spokesman on health and housing and deputy shadow leader of the Commons 1994-1997, he stood down last year and won a life peerage in the dissolution honours.

Tony McNulty – Junior housing minister

A former lecturer at North London University whose father was a self-employed builder, the 43-year old Labour MP for Harrow East was Government whip 1999-2002 and private parliamentary secretary to David Blunkett 1997-1999.