ROOF Blog

Applications to build houses across the UK rose in the last quarter of 2009, according to the NHBC. It said applications to build new homes between October and December 2009 rose 64 per cent from 15,879 to 26,078 compared with the same period in 2008. This was driven by the private sector, where applications surged 113 per cent, from 8,646 in the last quarter of 2008, to 18,393 in 2009. Public sector demand saw a six per cent rise, from 7,233 to 7,685. Imtiaz Farookhi, chief executive of the NHBC, said: ‘Our house building colleagues across the industry have shown cautious optimism as they reveal their predictions for 2010. Now the nation’s housebuilders need support from the government as they see their way out of this downturn and try to meet the need for new homes.’

At least 5,500 properties owned by London’s authorities are unoccupied, more than 3,000 of which have been vacant for three months or more. This is despite 353,000 people across the city waiting to be housed. The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, created fury among campaigners. Duncan Shrubsole, of homelessness charity Crisis, said: ‘It’s scandalous to have so many properties empty and we would urge all local authorities to make sure they are using their council housing to maximum capacity.’ Councils today defended their position saying many of the houses were uninhabitable. Lambeth Living, which manages social housing for Lambeth council, has 1,090 properties empty, 848 for more than three months, and 18,000 households on its housing waiting list — 8,000 of those families of two or more. A spokeswoman said empty properties were usually awaiting repair, redecoration or re-letting.

Opinion is divided over whether buying or renting is the better housing policy.

Centre for Social Justice Executive director Philippa Stroud argues that property ownership is still one of the best defences against poverty.

Royal Society for the Arts chief executive Matthew Taylor counters that home ownership has increased social inequality in terms of the life chances and assets of people who own their own homes, arguing instead that we should foster a massive expansion in the private rental sector and improve the quality of the houses on offer.