New homes targets scrapped by Tories

Fewer new homes may now be built in this country after the Tory-led coalition government controversially abolished all housebuilding targets, in accordance with their manifesto.

The Conservative communities secretary Eric Pickles has written to various councils confirming that the new government will scrap the previous government's national housebuilding targets.

Mr Pickles' letter states: "I am writing... to highlight our commitment in the coalition agreements where we very clearly set out our intention to rapidly abolish regional strategies and return decision-making powers on housing and planning to local councils."

There was some opposition to the Labour government's strategy, which apparently forced some councils to build on green belt sites.

Tory housing minister Grant Shapps, who rejects the previous government projections that three million new homes were needed within 15 years, is expected to offer councils cash incentives to build new homes instead.

Owed to a rising population, migrants and more single households, more new homes are desperately needed in this country.

However, there is already evidence that some planned new build home projects have already been suspended or scrapped.

In Coventry for example, a planning inspector's final ruling on Coventry City Council's ‘core strategy' for 26,000 new homes in Coventry was expected to be released later this month, but now faces being binned.

Plans to build 3,500 new homes across Coventry and Warwickshire were this morning axed.