Pathfinder scheme comes under fire

A government scheme designed to try and offer the housing market a lift in some areas of the country has come in for criticism.

Pathfinder was created six years ago but the House of Commons public accounts committee has claimed that where homes have been demolished, others have not replaced them.

Moreover, it suggested, people in some areas are still waiting for an adequate supply of affordable properties, something that could lead to the self build method.

Chairman of the committee Edward Liegh added that there have been instances of proposals to remove historically-important dwellings.

"Ways need to be found of helping existing residents bridge the gap between the compensation they receive under a compulsory purchase order and the cost of another local property," he commented.

It is hard to tell at present, he contended, if the initiative is impacting on the market more than normal industry conditions.

Weaknesses in the housing market were revealed in 2002 as part of the Pathfinder initiative.