South-east building targets branded recipe for poverty

The South-east regional assembly voted on Monday to reduce its target to 25,500-32,000 homes a year for the next 20 years.

The previous housebuilding target was 32,000-36,000 homes (HT 26 November, page 9).

In the past five years, an average 25,500 homes have been built in the South-east each year.

Nick Skellett, chair of the assembly, said: “Without certainty on the question of infrastructural investment, we could not see how the higher levels of growth proposed were sustainable.”

But the National Housing Federation South-east has warned that minimising construction in the region would “be a recipe for homelessness, poorer health, diminished economic performance and more poverty”.

An ODPM spokesman refused to comment on the South-east’s new targets but said he was “disappointed” by the vote.

He added: “New-build rates are only 75% of assessed need in the South-east. During the past six years alone, we have witnessed average house prices in the South-east increase by 127% and the widening affordability gap for those on lower incomes, especially key workers.

“This will have consequences for our children and for future generations.”

It is understood that deputy prime minister John Prescott has the power to override the assembly’s decision, but the ODPM would not comment on whether he would.

The assembly will run a public consultation, from mid-January to mid-April next year, before it finalises its regional spatial strategy.