Ed Davey: House-building target could be scrapped at party conference

The Liberal Democrat house building target could be scrapped if party members agree at its autumn conference next week, Sir Ed Davey has said.

The party had promised it would build 380,000 homes a year in England if it was elected into government.

Speaking to the BBC, Sir Ed said he wanted to focus on social housing and a community-led approach to new builds.

Liberal Democrat-run Eastbourne Council had a "great record" on council homes, he added, of which he was "proud".

Sir Ed was speaking to BBC South East ahead of his party's conference in Bournemouth from 23 to 26 September.

He said the current "top down developer-led approach" of the Conservatives had been "devastating" for many communities.

"It means the wrong houses get built in the wrong places," he said, adding that he hoped a proposal in the party's housing policy paper would be agreed.

In December, the government said councils would get more flexibility over meeting centrally-set housing targets.

But Sir Ed said he would replace it with a target for social housing.

"The government can control [this] far more effectively with the local authorities to make sure we have the affordable homes that people need, and then our community-led approach, to make sure we have the other homes too," he said.

This approach, he suggested, would mean more affordable and sustainable homes, with the necessary community infrastructure around them.

When challenged on the house-building record in Eastbourne, the South East's only fully Lib Dem-run council, he said the town had a "great record on council homes, some of the best in the country".

But he said Eastbourne had been held back by central government not providing the infrastructure needed for new homes.

Eastbourne Borough Council said it was "delivering council homes" but that the government's housing target was "simply not realistic".

Looking ahead to the next general election, Sir Ed said he was feeling "very positive" about the party's chances in the south east.

"What we tend to find is when we have this great success at local government, as we have in places like Eastbourne, Lewes, Tunbridge Wells, Mid Sussex and Chichester, you then go on to win the seat at the next election," he said.

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