Land News

Tories slam Prescott's affordable housing

Lawson Fairbank 9th August, 2005

John Prescott has today announced nine organisations that have taken up the challenge to build "affordable housing" for £60,000.

These organisations will now go into the final stage of the Design for Manufacture competition, where they will bid to develop the high quality, affordable homes on one or more of the ten public sector-owned sites available.

A coup for the Deputy Prime Minister, "rasing the bar" for affordable developments.

The Conservatives, however, were quick to point out that this comes at a price. They warn that all the sites available are on contaminated land, including a former mine and next to a landfill, while 140 homes will be next to HMP Woodhill.

Shadow local government secretary Caroline Spelman said "nothing could be further from the truth" than the government's claims that starter homes would be sold at £60,000.

"The grim reality is that the homes are in less than desirable locations – such as next door to mines, prisons and landfill – and are all on contaminated land. The end sale prices will be six figure sums each, and only a mere 300 homes will be affordable," she said.

"Yet the Labour spin machine cannot disguise the fact that John Prescott’s housing policies – such as soaring council tax, stamp duty hikes and cuts to the Right to Buy – have helped kicked a generation off the first rung of the housing ladder."

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