Brownfield land 'must be for the masses'

Brownfield land 'must be for the masses'

Brownfield land is being heralded as the only solution to the UK's current affordable housing shortage but there are problems with how it is distributed, according to one expert.

The National Housing Federation (NHF), which represents not-for-profit housing associations, says that many councils are auctioning off their disused industrial land but it is proving too expensive for all but the wealthiest private property developers.

The group is now calling for new government legislation so that the social benefit of land sales is considered and so that land becomes more affordable to the masses, including prospective self-builders.

"We still have a lot of brownfield sites, particularly former public sector land, that can be used. One of the problems at the moment is actually accessing it," said a NHF spokesman.

"If new rules come in about the best use of that land, the best social benefit in selling the land, it would be much easier for housing associations to get hold of previously publicly owned land and re-use these brownfield sites."

Gordon Brown, the prime minister in waiting, today announced that he will initiate major new rented-housing programme next month which include more council housing.


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