Responding to today’s announcement by Caroline Spelman MP, Shadow Secretary for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman of the Home Builders Federation, says:
“The HBF welcomes the Conservative Party’s commitment to look at ambitious changes to planning regulations to help the market deliver the homes that people aspire to own. David Cameron’s request for the Quality of Life Policy Group to look at density targets and car parking provision is recognition of the problems caused by overly restrictive planning regulations.
“Current regulations are severely restricting choice and distorting the market. In 2005, for example, nearly 50 per cent of newly built dwellings were apartments, yet we know that just 2 per cent of people want to buy a low rise apartment and 1 per cent want to buy an apartment in a high rise block. Similarly, only 25% of newly built dwellings last year were detached houses when we know that 50% of people favoured one.
“Not only are people having difficulty in finding a home that they want, but they are also often facing unnecessary difficulties parking next to it. Restrictive car parking provision does little to cater for the needs of the 29 per cent of Britain’s households that own two or more cars.
“House builders are best placed to respond to consumer demand for different types of home. To do this, we need a planning system that is efficient, predictable and, above all, responsive to market demand. We welcome the Conservative Party’s moves to help achieve this.”
Notes for Editors
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the principal trade federation for private sector home builders and voice of the home building industry in England and Wales. The HBF’s 300 member firms account for over 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year, and include companies of all sizes, ranging from multi-national, household names through regionally based businesses to small local companies: www.hbf.co.uk
A March 2005 Mori poll, carried out on behalf of CABE, found that 50% of those questioned favoured a detached house and 22 per cent a bungalow. Just 2% wanted a low rise flat and 1 per cent a flat in a high rise block. Unaffordable Housing Fables and Myths, Policy Exchange, June 2005 pg. 9
According to the 2001 Census, 29 per cent of households now own two or more cars compared with 24 per cent ten years ago. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/commentaries/housing.asp
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