Housing plan inadequate, says HBF

The executive chair of the Home Builders Federation Stewart Baseley has said the new plans announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to boost the housing market are "not enough".

A speech by Mr Brown outlining a series of new policies to be included in the government's legislative programme, which will be announced in the Queen's Speech this autumn, included a new plan to buy up unsold new houses.

The scheme will see £200 million being spent on the move, with some of the homes rented as social housing and the rest sold on a shared equity basis to first-time buyers.

In addition to this, £100 million will be spent helping first time buyers to get on the ladder using the shared equity method.

However, Mr Baseley was not satisfied with these policies, stating: "The current situation demands drastic action and we have been calling on Government to take a range of measures to address the situation."

If Mr Baseley is correct and the measures are insufficient to help many first-time buyers, those looking to get on the housing ladder may consider self build as an alternative.


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