200,000 new homes in South-East by 2016
About 200,000 new homes will be built in 2016 in four areas of the South of England as part of a plan to combat an acute shortage of affordable homes, Gordon Brown announced. At least 60% of these homes will be build on brownfield development land.
The new homes will be built in the Thames Gateway corridor, Milton Keynes/South Midlands, Ashford in Kent, and London-Stansted-Cambridge.
To begin meeting the commitment to increase affordable housing, Mr Brown announced that the housing budget would rise from £5.9 billion this year to £7.2 billion in 2007-2008.
In addition, there will be a new Community Infrastructure Fund of £150 million by 2007-08 that will provide transport and other infrastructure around new brownfield housing developments.
The plans were unveiled as the Chancellor moved to give more help both to the homeless and those seeking affordable houses after a period of rapidly rising house prices.
By 2008 Mr Brown promised a 50 per cent increase in the construction of social housing. In the short term this will privode an additional 10,000 brownfield homes a year by 2007-08.
The Government stressed that it remained committed to preserving or increasing the area of land designated as Green Belt, with a least 60 per cent of new housing development taking place on brownfield sites.
Source: The Telegraph, 28.09.2004
