Responding to the announcement in the Spending Review of nearly £20 billion in capital investment to underpin the Government’s long-term housing strategy, including a National Home Building Fund with initial funding of £7.1 billion over four years, Cllr David Renard, Local Government Association housing spokesperson, said:
“It is good to see further government investment to support the building of new homes, where they are most needed.
“Councils want to work with government to tackle the housing crisis, build sustainable housing, healthy communities and to be given the powers and resources to get building council homes again on a scale not seen since the 1970s, when local government built 40 per cent of new homes.
“This should include reform to Right to Buy so councils can keep receipts in full and set discounts locally, enabling them to provide the housing communities need, supported by the required services and infrastructure.
“With council housing waiting lists set to potentially nearly double next year, now is the time to let councils embark on an ambitious post-pandemic building boom of 100,000 social homes for rent a year, which as well as reducing homelessness would also deliver a £14.5 billion boost to the economy.”