Debating Conservative Housing Policy

Roundtable

Author: Grant Shapps MP & Dr. Oliver Marc Hartwich - Jan 29, 2008

Posted in: Planning, Housing and Economic Development / Reform of the social housing system / Events

Grant Shapps, MP, opened the lunch with a short presentation in which he laid out future Conservative housing policy. Under his housing ministry, due to changes in the way that money from development could be used and incentives created, communities would be keen for development and thus local politicians would want to stand on a pro-development ticket. Local communities would then be genuinely incentivised to have housing growth.

Oliver Marc Hartwich (Policy Exchange) responded in agreement with Grant Shapps, adding only he was unsure to what extent the role of housing minister was itself justifiable: that if housing growth were subject to local competition rather than national coercive allocation then the role of housing minister would be largely redundant.

Roger Gough opened the floor to questions on:

- Securing a stable social mix in city housing

- Improvement and retention of housing stock

- Market incentivisation

- Roofing insulation

- Low-carbon homes

- Stamp duty

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