UCATT Condemns Pickles Housing Policy

Construction union UCATT have reacted with extreme dismay to news that the ConDem housing polices have already led to the scrapping of 100,000 proposed new homes.

The axing of the homes is a direct result of a decision by Conservative Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to scrap regional housing strategies, which were introduced to ensure the building of 3 million new homes in England by 2020.

A study undertaken by the National Housing Federation has revealed that since Mr Pickles decision, plans for over 100,000 homes have been shelved by local authorities.


Alan Ritchie, General Secretary of UCATT, said: "The Government's housing policy is a kick in the teeth to families and construction workers. These latest revelations reveal that the ConDem Government has pulled the rug away from any recovery in housebuilding. Thousands of skilled construction workers will be denied work directly as a result of Pickles poisonous policies.

"We already knew that the Government had undermined social housing by starving new projects of funding. The latest evidence shows that all forms of housing projects are being stifled by their policies. This will result in increased house prices and more people being forced to live in inadequate overpriced accommodation."

(CD/KMcA)