Government to miss affordable housing target

The government is likely to break its promise to build 70,000 affordable homes a year by 2010-11 according to its own figures. A Guardian analysis of this week’s pledge to build more affordable housing indicates that the government will miss its target by at least 13,550 a year; while only 13,450 of the 56,500 new homes built a year will be council housing, down from 45,000 out of the original 70,000 planned. Figures also show that despite the government building fewer homes the programme will cost more money.