Lords begin debate on housing crisis
January 2017

The House of Lords has commenced its debate on the ‘ Building Better Places’ Select Committee Report on National Policy for the Built Environment.

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/aa7c213d-d041-49f5-9230-5c91b49a44e0

The report was first published last February but in November the Government was criticised for an ‘unacceptable delay’ in replying to its findings, when Baroness O’Cathain, who chaired the committee, said much of the debate had been overtaken by more recent developments.

http://www.the-glazine.com/WeeklyFolders/glazine15november2016/the_government_has_come_under.htm

When the report was published, she had said: "It is increasingly clear that we need to build more houses in England and we wholeheartedly support that objective. However, if we build those houses in the wrong place, to a poor standard, without the consent of local communities we are only storing up future misery for the people in those houses and others nearby.

"That is why we are recommending local authorities are once again empowered both to build new homes of their own, and to ensure all developments are of a suitably high quality. Spending a little bit extra on good quality design at the outset can avert massive costs to people, society and Government in the long-run.”