Rishi Sunak will be urged to build a new generation of 20th Century ‘garden cities’ to tackle the housing crisis and appeal to younger voters
- MP David Davis will outline plans for a programme of entirely ‘new towns’
Rishi Sunak will tomorrow be urged to build a new generation of ‘garden cities’ and towns to tackle the housing crisis and appeal to younger voters struggling to own their own home.
Senior Tory MP David Davis will outline plans for a programme of entirely ‘new towns’ so hundreds of thousands of homes can be built, overcoming ‘nimby’ (not in my back yard) opposition to new houses in built-up areas.
The move comes amid growing Tory panic that voters in their 20s and 30s will blame the Government for being unable to buy a home, as lack of new housing keeps property prices high.
It also comes amid fears that these voters will back Labour after Sir Keir Starmer vowed to impose local building targets scrapped by the Prime Minister after a backlash from Tory MPs.
A 2019 Tory manifesto pledge was for 300,000 homes a year to be built by the mid-2020s.
Rishi Sunak will tomorrow be urged to build a new generation of ‘garden cities’ and towns to tackle the housing crisis and appeal to younger voters struggling to own their own home
Senior Tory MP David Davis (pictured) will outline plans for a programme of entirely ‘new towns’ so hundreds of thousands of homes can be built, overcoming ‘nimby’ (not in my back yard) opposition to new houses in built-up areas
But in a Commons debate tomorrow, former Cabinet Minister Mr Davis is set to point out that despite England’s population rising by about seven million in the past 20 years, average housing-building rates have been about 183,000 a year.
He will propose a return to the early 20th Century development of new garden towns such as Welwyn Garden City, and the post-war ‘new towns’ drive that led to places such as Milton Keynes and Skelmersdale.
Last night, Mr Davis conceded that his plan was ‘not a silver bullet’ but said it represented a good balance of affordability, ambition and respect for local residents. ‘Let’s get building,’ he added.
A Government source said Housing Secretary Michael Gove ‘looks forward to working closely with colleagues’ on plans to deliver more housing.
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