According to an FT report, new housing minister Gavin Barwell (pictured) told delegates at a property conference that rented accommodation was “so important” and emphasised that homes of every type should be built to help the government meet its 200,000 homes target by 2020.
Barwell emphasised that it was still important to help aspiring buyers onto the housing ladder, but that this should not be at the detriment of those who used other forms of tenure.
He explained that he intended to make the UK housing market one that worked “for everyone” by using different government initiatives other than starter homes to boost supply and help people achieve homeownership.
Richard Donnell, head of research at Hometrack, told the FT that a change in policy could see the government divert its resources away from initiatives such as Help to Buy, a scheme which works closely with house builders.
House builders have been sceptical of the target set out by David Cameron’s government to build 200,000 homes by 2020 as so far, the government has failed to keep pace with its ambitions.
