The government’s Housing and Planning Bill is the ‘death knell’ for social housing in England, the shadow housing minister claims.
Speaking yesterday at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health’s (CIEH) Annual Housing and Health Conference, John Healey denounced Whitehall’s flagship bill as ‘blinkered, unbalanced’ and argued its sole purpose was to focus on home ownership.
He said the Bill, which became law today, will mean that by 2020 we will be further from the basic aim to provide safe, decent and affordable accommodation.
The shadow housing and planning minister argued the bill will force councils to sell vacant higher value homes in order to subsidise Right to Buy discounts for housing associations.
He added extending Right to Buy will result in less properties being available for social rented homes.
Mr Healey recognised the Bill requires 20% of new homes built to be reserved for starter homes - but warned the Government is ‘chocking off’ councils’ ability to negotiate affordable houses with developers.
Citing the housing charity Shelter, he said the Bill will result in the loss of 180,000 social homes. He also quoted a study by the Chartered Institute of Housing which predicts that by 2020 there will be a loss of a third of a million social homes.
