Mark Prisk: We need to stop thinking about housing units and think about homes

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government

In the wake of yesterday's budget, housing minister Mark Prisk has said that "we need to stop thinking about housing units and think about homes".

The minister spoke at the Ideal Home Show Blue Ribbon Awards just hours after Chancellor George Osborne announced the Help-to-Buy scheme which aims to boost the housing market with support worth more than £130 billion.

“Of late we have been experiencing quite a dysfunctional housing market – we haven’t been building what people need and also we haven’t been thinking about the quality," said Mr Prisk.

“Today with the budget we have looked to add investment in to the private rented sector and the affordable housing sector, but also how we can help people struggling to get the deposits together to buy a new home.

“The point about Help-to-Buy is to make sure that home buyers and not just first time buyers are able to look at those properties that they simply can’t afford. It is a much larger scheme and a scheme that should lever in about £130 billion of mortgages in to the housing market. It could have the chance to kick start demand.”

Hosted by Architect and TV presenter George Clarke, the Blue Ribbon Awards were revived at this year’s Ideal Home Show and celebrate and acknowledge excellence in building design, sustainability and community development.

Mr Clarke said: “I fully support the announcement by the government today for launching the Help-to-Buy scheme – I personally feel that it is long overdue. Any scheme that makes it easier for ordinary people to buy a home has to be welcomed.

“Hopefully this will kick start the housing industry. It’s a bold investment but one that may even see us build our way out of this recession, and will offer further support to the otherwise fledging building industry.”