The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has launched a Green Paper on housing.

The paper outlines how the Government intends to reach the Prime Minister’s target of three million new homes by 2020, and offers practical direction to local authorities and their partners in moving forward the housing strategy for the region.

Pam Alexander, South East England Development Agency’s (SEEDA) chief executive, said: “It is vitally important that we achieve a balance between the provision of affordable and sustainable housing in the South East which will support the economic growth ambitions for the region and the absolute necessity to ensure that all housing is built in areas that can sustain the extra development in a socially supportive and environmentally responsible way.”

David Bexon, managing director for SmartNewHomes.com, believes the government is being unrealistic. “With plans to improve nearly every area of the house building and planning process immediately, I fear these initiatives could be more of a wish list than a realistic programme. What we now need from the Government is action and not words”, he said.