Former Civil Service Head and Chairman of Be First, Lord Kerslake, has branded the Chancellor’s budget ‘a mixed bag’ which will struggle to deliver the governments’ ambition on new housing.
Lord Kerslake said: “I welcome the Chancellor’s announcement of £15bn of new support for housing but it doesn’t reflect the government’s ambition to solve the housing crisis and, crucially, it’s unclear about how it will help ordinary people to find a truly affordable home.
“In particular, the opportunity to fully lift the cap on Local Authority’s ability to borrow and build has been missed.
“In contrast, cuts to stamp duty run the risk of fuelling house price inflation, which could add to the frustration of the millions of people unable to get a mortgage in the first place.”
Lord Kerslake said Be First will continue to generate homes and growth in east London.
He said: “As London is moving east, Be First is spearheading the drive to build homes in the capital by helping to deliver around 50,000 homes and 20,000 jobs over the next 20 years in Barking and Dagenham.
“The borough is blessed with affordability, land availability and connectivity.”
