May pledges council house boom

THERESA May will this week pledge a council house revolution with a manifesto promise to build a new generation of homes.

The Prime Minister will take on the mantle of Margaret Thatcher by constructing thousands of properties that tenants have the right to buy after ten years.

But last night the Tories faced accusations the policy lacks ambition after it emerged there will be no new money for house-building promised in the manifesto and ministers refused to say how many homes would be built.

It was also claimed the houses could end up being sold to private developers. Setting out the policy yesterday, former housing minister Brandon Lewis would say only that the Tories hoped to build ‘thousands’ of properties as he revealed the cost would be covered by a £1.4billion fund for capital investment announced in last year’s Autumn Statement.

It is unlikely Mrs May will come close to Mrs Thatcher who built an average of 41,000 council houses a year over a decade. The Tories will pledge to make it easier for local authorities to take over derelict buildings and unused land by reforming compulsory purchase rules.

Councils and housing associations will also get extra cash to help with the cost of building thousands more properties that provide social housing, with the option for tenants to buy after a decade.

Mrs May said: ‘A Conservative Government led by me will not duck the big challenges we face as a nation and there are few issues that are greater than the need for good-quality, affordable housing.

‘Too many ordinary working families are stuck on council waiting lists, facing unaffordable rents and struggling to save for that first deposit.

‘That’s why we will fix the broken housing market.’

Liberal Democrats candidate Greg Mulholland said: ‘The small print in these Tory proposals shows they are preparing to flog off housing on the cheap to investors.’