New council package unveiled by government

Housing development may be speeded up after a fresh £510 million housing package was announced by the government.

The Housing and Planning Delivery Grant was unveiled by housing and planning minister Caroline Flint who said that such funds could encourage the government to go ahead with new property construction.

And Ms Flint added that the grant will be under review in the coming years to ensure that the housing market obtains a boost in the long term.

She contended that the credit crunch as a negative impact on the market and measures must be taken to ensure that these are limited.

"We are determined to continue to do everything possible to promote long-term stability and fairness in the housing market," she remarked.

Affordability will worsen unless specific efforts are made to give support to an ageing population, Ms Flint added.

Last week, other proposals were outlined by the politician, such as the Rent to Home buy scheme, which will look to encourage first-time buyers to get in the property ladder and obtain mortgages.