According to the BBC
Housing Secretary Michael Gove has said the government is still committed to a manifesto pledge of building 300,000 homes every year by the mid-2020s.
Former PM Liz Truss had thrown doubt on the aim, saying she wanted to scrap “Stalinist” housing targets.
But Mr. Gove – who returned to cabinet after Ms. Truss’s resignation – told the BBC he wanted to build more homes, both for ownership and to rent.
He added that new developments should have the consent of local communities.
The minister also warned meeting the target would be “difficult” due to the economic circumstances.
“We need to be straight with people: the cost of materials has increased because of the problems with global supply chains and also a very tight labor market means that the capacity to build those homes at the rate we want is constrained,” he said.
Asked about Ms. Truss’s past comments on housing targets, Mr. Gove said: “The top-down housing targets that… Liz was referring to are part of a broader and different calculation from the 300,000 in the manifesto.
“My view is that what we do need is a fair way of allocating housing need that takes account of changes in population.”
He said new developments should be “more beautiful”, have the consent of the local community, be accompanied by the right infrastructure, and protect the environment.
During the interview on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Mr. Gove also avoided saying whether the government would raise benefits in line with inflation.
With millions of people living in inadequate housing and lengthy waiting lists for council homes, the UK is suffering from what many have referred to as a housing crisis.
More house building has, however, presented challenges for Conservative prime ministers.
Image Source: BBC News
