Shelter responds to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill and government housing targets

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Delivering more top-quality social homes must be hard-wired into these planning reforms. Michael Gove says he wants his changes to see the ‘right homes in the right places’, but if he gets this wrong, he risks pushing local people even further out of their communities.  

“The last time the government built 300,000 homes a year was in 1969 - when 40% of those homes were for social rent and delivered by the government.For too long, too many people have been priced out of a decent home as barely any social homes have been built and house prices have gone through the roof.  Last year fewer than 6,000 new social homes were delivered despite over a million households being stuck on waiting lists in England. 

“There is no point in building 300,000 homes a year if the vast majority are over-priced flats and houses that people on average or lower incomes can’t afford.Well-built social homes with rents tied to local incomes are truly affordable by design, and they are what local communities need.” 

ENDS