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| 3m extra homes 'still not enough' | 3m extra homes 'still not enough' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| England is heading for a housing crisis despite the government's pledge to build an extra three million homes by 2020, according to a report. | England is heading for a housing crisis despite the government's pledge to build an extra three million homes by 2020, according to a report. |
| The independent body set up to advise ministers on new homes said 270,000 more were needed each year. | The independent body set up to advise ministers on new homes said 270,000 more were needed each year. |
| The National Housing and Planning Advice Unit said average prices in England were more than seven times average salaries. | The National Housing and Planning Advice Unit said average prices in England were more than seven times average salaries. |
| And it said they were set to reach nine-and-a-half times this by 2026. | And it said they were set to reach nine-and-a-half times this by 2026. |
| Bleak outlook | Bleak outlook |
| It added that, even if the extra homes were built, they would still be less affordable. | It added that, even if the extra homes were built, they would still be less affordable. |
| Professor Stephen Nickell, who helped write the report, told the BBC that the 270,000 figure being called for had to be seen in context. | Professor Stephen Nickell, who helped write the report, told the BBC that the 270,000 figure being called for had to be seen in context. |
| This could have horrendous consequences in terms of environment, landscape and also quality of life Kate GordonCampaign for the Protection of Rural England | |
| "If you'd like to put this sort of thing into perspective we built more than that number back in the 1930s in Britain when we had a considerably smaller population. | "If you'd like to put this sort of thing into perspective we built more than that number back in the 1930s in Britain when we had a considerably smaller population. |
| "And most other countries in the developed world, proportionately speaking, build houses at a faster rate than we do." | "And most other countries in the developed world, proportionately speaking, build houses at a faster rate than we do." |
| The report comes on the same day as Housing Minister Yvette Cooper is expected to unveil funding to encourage local councils to help create the millions of affordable new homes that are needed. | The report comes on the same day as Housing Minister Yvette Cooper is expected to unveil funding to encourage local councils to help create the millions of affordable new homes that are needed. |
| She said that some councils are being difficult about the issue of building new houses. | She said that some councils are being difficult about the issue of building new houses. |
| "This is an issue that faces us right across the country now. Every community in the country now does need to do more to support more housing. We have an ageing, growing population, more people living alone." | "This is an issue that faces us right across the country now. Every community in the country now does need to do more to support more housing. We have an ageing, growing population, more people living alone." |
| But the plans have been criticised by the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE). | |
| Senior planner Kate Gordon said: "This could have horrendous consequences in terms of environment, landscape and also quality of life - traffic congestion, pollution and the like. | |
| HAVE YOUR SAY It is not too few houses - it is too many people! Simon Ward, Watford Send us your comments "Some of them say they don't want more homes in their area, and the problem with that argument is that it's just not fair - every other area needs to do its bit. | |
| "There are also issues like access to water supply for these homes and the likelihood of them being built in flood-risk areas. | |
| "And building more homes to bring house prices down just wont work. There are so many other factors that contribute to house prices from the quality of local schools to interest rates." | |
| Empty properties | Empty properties |
| Ms Cooper will announce that councils intending to build the most new houses will be given £1,100 per home, and this may increase to £5,000 by 2010/11. | |
| She also said that housing had to be "planned sustainably". | She also said that housing had to be "planned sustainably". |
| "We also have to take account of the need to improve the quality of housing, make sure they're planned sustainably, that we've got infrastructure in place. | "We also have to take account of the need to improve the quality of housing, make sure they're planned sustainably, that we've got infrastructure in place. |
| "You can't just look at the quantity, you've also got to look at the quality as well, and that's why we've set the target we have to make sure that the homes that we build can be sustainable for the future as well." | "You can't just look at the quantity, you've also got to look at the quality as well, and that's why we've set the target we have to make sure that the homes that we build can be sustainable for the future as well." |
| It's no good building houses if there's no roads to get to them Councillor Paul Bettison | |
| But councillor Paul Bettison - from the Local Government Association - said simply building more homes was not the answer. | But councillor Paul Bettison - from the Local Government Association - said simply building more homes was not the answer. |
| "For too long we've been pushing the simple figure of more and more houses, without thinking about the infrastructure. | "For too long we've been pushing the simple figure of more and more houses, without thinking about the infrastructure. |
| "It's no good building houses if there's no roads to get to them." | "It's no good building houses if there's no roads to get to them." |
| Also included in the plans is a £510m fund to help bring empty homes back into use. | Also included in the plans is a £510m fund to help bring empty homes back into use. |
| Councils who aggressively target empty properties, including through compulsory purchase orders, will share in the fund to help pay for the projects. | Councils who aggressively target empty properties, including through compulsory purchase orders, will share in the fund to help pay for the projects. |
| There are an estimated 670,000 homes and properties currently standing empty, and nearly 300,000 in England that are long-term vacant. | There are an estimated 670,000 homes and properties currently standing empty, and nearly 300,000 in England that are long-term vacant. |
| The initiative will funnel extra money to regions where the increase in new homes is more than 0.75% of the existing stock. | The initiative will funnel extra money to regions where the increase in new homes is more than 0.75% of the existing stock. |
| Last week Ms Cooper gave a stark warning to councils, saying that a refusal to build new homes in their area would be a "betrayal of first-time buyers". | Last week Ms Cooper gave a stark warning to councils, saying that a refusal to build new homes in their area would be a "betrayal of first-time buyers". |
| She is also to warn that "outdated regional housing targets" will be no excuse for local authorities not to build new homes. | She is also to warn that "outdated regional housing targets" will be no excuse for local authorities not to build new homes. |