Reacting to the report published by the BPF and GLA which calls for the planning system to be used to promote the building of homes for private rental, Executive Chairman of the Home Builders Federation Stewart Baseley says: "A thriving private-rented sector is in the interests of both consumers and developers. However, using the planning system to distort the land market, and expecting local planning authorities to second-guess the demand for different housing tenures, is not the right approach. “Housing affordability is a major concern for many households today, a situation largely created by decades of inadequate housing supply. The answer to unaffordable housing is for the planning system to bring forward more land for all housing, leaving decisions about tenure up to consumer preferences and market demand. “If the planning system is used to restrict use of some of the inadequate existing supply of land for one particular tenure, this does nothing to address the overall problems of supply and affordability. It is merely robbing Peter to pay Paul, increasing the supply of private rented housing at the expense of a reduced supply of housing for owner occupiers. “HBF believes that the use of fiscal incentives would be a far more effective method of promoting increased supply of private-rental housing.” - Ends - Notes for Editors 1. The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the principal trade federation for private sector home builders and voice of the home building industry in England and Wales. The HBF’s 300 member firms account for some 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year, and include companies of all sizes, ranging from multi-national, household names through regionally based businesses to small local companies: www.hbf.co.uk 2. Affordable Housing is defined by the Government as intermediate or social rented housing at below market prices or rents. For all media information, please contact: Paul Boulter 0207 421 6140 07814 506 378 paul.boulter@portlandpr.co.uk
