Tory about-turn on council houses

Author: The Observer - Jul 12, 2009

The Conservatives are preparing to unleash a new era of council house-building, in a radical shift that would undo 30 years of right-wing thinking.

The shadow housing minister, Grant Shapps, said the Conservatives want to increase council involvement in low-cost housing, overturning one of Margaret Thatcher's trademark policies.

Conservative insiders are quick to stress they do not wish to see a return to the days of large-scale municipal estates. But they are preparing the ground to allow councils to build tens of thousands of new homes in smaller developments.

Tory leaders are convinced housing is an area where they can outflank the government. Under Labour, the number of households on waiting lists has nearly doubled in 12 years to 1.8 million. At the same time, the amount of new homes built in Britain this year is expected to plumb new depths, despite Gordon Brown's ambitious targets of building millions of new properties.

"We're very enthusiastic about encouraging local leadership and innovation," said Shapps. "I think it's localism. They [councils] can do a lot more."

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