By Lucy Phillips | 9 June 2011
Plans to release enough publicly owned land to build 100,000 new homes have been announced by the government.
Housing minister Grant Shapps said every government department with significant banks of land would publish plans to sell thousands of acres of previously developed property to homebuilders by the autumn. Some of this will be offered on a ‘build now, pay later’ basis.
The move would help address a housing shortage and create 25,000 new jobs by 2015 as well as bring down the budget deficit, he said.
Announcing the plans yesterday, Shapps said: ‘I can confirm an ambitious challenge across government to release enough land from Whitehall’s grip for 100,000 new homes across the country. Over the coming months, property specialist will work to make sure no stone is left unturned and no site is left unused.’
Progress will be monitored by the Public Expenditure Committee (PEX), a Cabinet group chaired by Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury and PEX committee member Danny Alexander added: ‘Getting the economy growing is the government's top priority and this move, combined with other measures set out in the Plan for Growth to ease planning restrictions, are a key part of helping the private sector-led recovery.’
Shapps called on councils to also make their unused land available for development. Later this year, the government will publish a new map showing all land and buildings owned by public bodies in each area.
