Selling off expensive social housing could be in the best interests of house hunters, construction workers and the government – as new proposals by a think tank could create the largest social house building programme since the 1970s.

New social house building could create thousands of construction jobs

Policy Exchange, which debuted the plan in the report ‘Ending Expensive Social Tenancies’, is calling for the sale of social housing worth more than the average property in the region to be sold when it becomes vacant, reportstheconstructionindex.co.uk.

As a result, this could raise £4.5 billion annually and allow 80,000 – 170,000 new social homes to be built. Furthermore in order to build these homes, 160,000 – 340,000 jobs a year in the construction industry could be created.

As the proposed homes will all be new builds, it’s highly likely they will all be sustainable buildings; especially if the UK wants to adhere to European emissions targets in the future.

Expensive social housing means less social housing

The author of the report, Alex Morton, commented on the proposal on constructionenquirer.com:

“Expensive social housing is costly, unpopular and unfair. That is why almost everybody rejects it.”

“Social housing tenants deserve a roof over their heads, but not one better than most people can afford, particularly as expensive social housing means less social housing and longer waiting lists for most people in need.”

Author: Ashley Curtis    Date Written: 08 October 2012