Liberal Democrats outline plans to build 300,000 new homes a year

Liberal Democrats will outline plans to tackle the housing crisis, stimulate the economy and generate jobs at Autumn Conference

The proposals, outlined in housing policy paper Decent Homes for All, would see up to 300,000 homes being built annually and provide greater powers for tenants and local councils.

The proposals include:

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, Simon Hughes MP said:

"Successive governments have failed to address what is now a housing crisis.

"A shortage of homes has made it impossible for many to get on the housing ladder and has seen rents, especially in big cities, rise to historic and unaffordable highs.

"That's why Liberal Democrats have outlined our most ambitious ever proposals for building the new homes Britain needs.

"Building 300,000 new houses a year will ease demand, stimulate the economy and generate jobs. It's a win-win.

"We also want to give tenants more security and empower local councils to bring empty homes into use and end the scandal of overseas investors buying up property only to let it sit unoccupied.

"We need to be shamelessly ambitious if we are to tackle the problem head on. Everyone is entitled to a decent and affordable roof over their head and Liberal Democrats are committed to delivering it."

Motion - Decent Homes for All

Conference notes with concern that the historic failure to create a sustainable housing model has implications, not just on individuals and families, but on the wider economy and jobs market. In particular:

1. The failure to build enough houses is making home-buying increasingly unaffordable and forcing rents higher and higher.

II. More and more families are facing the instability of short-term leases in the private rented sector, and too many tenants are suffering the consequences of bad landlords.

III. Poor housing is bad for health and holds back achievement in school.

IV. The rapid increase in rents and the increasing number of people renting privately is putting welfare budgets under intense pressure.

Conference believes the most effective way to put housing on a sustainable footing in the future is to give more power and control to: those trapped in poor housing and short tenancies; small organisations, cooperatives, companies and individuals wanting to build but held back by corporate land-banking and lack of land and finance; and local communities and councils.

Conference endorses Policy Paper 104 Decent Homes for All and its key priorities to:

A. Build more homes, providing environmentally sustainable homes where people need them, helping with jobs and with kick-starting the economy.

B. Give tenants more power and security, making social landlords more accountable and improving standards and security in the rapidly growing private rented sector.

C. Ensure more local control, giving local councils, communities and individuals more power and autonomy to create thriving neighbourhoods in the face of the hugely diverse range of challenges that they face.

1. Conference calls for action to deliver our priority in building more homes, particularly to:

2. Conference calls for further action to give tenants more power and security, including to:

Option A:

d. Reduce restrictions on the power of local authorities to set up comprehensive or targeted licensing schemes in any area they deem appropriate; establish a national licensing system for managing agents; and promote longer tenancies.

or:

Option B:

d. Require all private landlords to obtain a license from their local authority, with national minimum standards for licensing and additional standards to be implemented at the local authority's discretion; establish a national licensing system for managing agents; and promote longer tenancies.

3. Conference calls for more local control over housing policy, including to: