Experts lobby MPs with "six changes"

Source: www.propertyweek.com
Published: 23 April 2010

A group of residential experts has called on the three main UK political parties to bring about six changes to help sustain a housing market recovery “no matter what the outcome” of next month’s election.

Among the group’s members are: Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation; Roger Humber, strategic policy adviser to the House Builders Association; Brian Smith, a director at Landhold Capital and New Homes Marketing Board chairman David Pretty.

The Changes Are

• Instilling confidence that "new development is a good thing"
• Returning the UK's 765,000 empty houses to use
• Inspiring housing trusts to be more enterprising — for example by buying at auction for quick refurbishments
• Incentivising new entrants into the sector and supporting the private-rented sector
• Providing long-term mortgage assistance through a new National Homes Deposit Savings Scheme and extending stamp duty thresholds for first-time buyers
• "Re-energising" the planning system through evolution.

Tristan Fitzgerald Associates and BNP Paribas Real Estate led the group.