PlaceShapers' response to government's plans to boost housebuilding

PlaceShapers respond to government housing and planning package.

Tony Stacey, chair of the PlaceShapers, said: "We welcome the government's announcement on this package to boost housebuilding. PlaceShapers -and the housing association sector more widely - have a huge role to play to help to house Britain. The market is not working currently and PlaceShapers' long-term commitment to our local neighbourhoods means we will not turn our back on the need to build more - however, difficult this might be. This needs creative solutions, and PlaceShapers excel at this. The focus of the government's statement was on the private rented sector, an area in which many of our members are already working intensively with local authorities and coming up with new approaches to market renting.

"We are pleased the requirement for affordable housing through Section 106 agreements has not been wiped out; however, we are very concerned that giving house builders a get out will mean many developers will seek to renegotiate existing schemes without the planned affordable housing which our members and our local authority partners have worked on - often over many years. Affordable housing remains a desperate need in most areas we work."

Press contact: Kelly Field, The Bridge Group 07771 928369, kelly.field@vu-tbg.com