Caroline Flint denies 'defeat' over Govt homes target
- Published: 23 September 2008 14:53
- Author: Simon Ellery
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- Last Updated: 23 September 2008 14:55
Housing minister Caroline Flint revealed today that she had come under pressure to scrap the Government's target to build three million homes by 2020.
In a speech to the Labour conference in Manchester she said the economic crisis would not disrupt Labour's house building target.
Ms Flint said: "Sceptics asked me to scrap our target of 240,000 new homes a year – three million more homes by 2020. They want us to admit defeat."
She said that the package of measures to help first time buyers and those faced with repossession showed "Labour was on your side".
Ms Flint defended the controversial eco-town proposals, saying they would help "rise to the challenge of climate change".
During the speech one delegate attacked ministers' eco credentials saying there was widespread opposition to the proposed 15,000 home Marston Vale eco-town development.
Ms Flint said councils would be able to access grants to build houses again.
She said: "In the next decade, I want to see local councils once again play a central role, not only building more homes but providing leadership in meeting the housing needs of their community, across all sectors."
Meanwhile, junior housing minister Iain Wright has thrown the whole model for subsidising affordable housing out of private sales will no longer work.
He said the current business model has "failed" and added that new forms of shared ownership will become more popular.
