The National Housing Federation (NHF), which represents housing associations in England, has warned it would be a mistake for a Conservative government to scrap all house-building targets.

Responding to Tory proposals to ditch regional house-building targets, which form a key plank of Gordon Brown's drive to build three million new homes by 2020, NHF Chief Executive David Orr said: "The Conservatives' proposals for encouraging local authorities to grant planning permission for badly-needed new homes are innovative. However, scrapping all targets would be a mistake.

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"Targets ensure there's a clear link between priorities and government spending. They also ensure that, as a nation, we have a clear assessment of the scale of need, and they help to concentrate the minds of central and local government and house-builders alike."

Around five million people are expected to be on waiting lists for an affordable home next year.

(CD/JM)