Public uncertain over FTB measures

04-Dec-2007

Despite four in five Britons now acknowledging that the shortage of affordable housing around the UK is now a "very important" national issue, many are still under the impression that ways of solving the crisis may have an overly negative effect on the countryside.

This is not the case, according to the New Homes Marketing Board (NHMB), which says that notions that the green belt is disappearing under the weight of plans designed to help reduce house prices are inaccurate.

A significant majority of the general public believe that the green belt has shrunk over the past decade, according to a poll conducted by YouGov on behalf of NMHB, but it has actually increased by 65,000 acres over this period.

"As a snapshot of the great British public's thinking, this poll is both encouraging and disturbing," acknowledged NHMB chairman David Pretty.

"People really do now recognise that we have a housing crisis, are understandably worried by it and seem to accept that urgent action must be taken to address it.

"But when it comes to the detail, significant numbers of people still buy into the hoary old myths about the green belt […]and many more are confused or unsure about the implications for themselves, their communities and the nation," Mr Pretty added.

The government's plans to build three million new homes by 2020 in order to help first time buyers was recently rubber stamped by the Calcutt Review, which made numerous recommendations but found that the aim was broadly achievable.

New affordable housing deals announced.



Assemblies criticised over affordable housing inaction

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