Responding to MHCLG’s announcement that £8.5 million will fund pilots supporting community groups to build discounted homes, Local Government Association housing spokesman Cllr Martin Tett, said: “The Government’s announcement of £8.5 million is a positive step and will support some communities to take forward the delivery of discounted homes in their area.
“It is important that local community groups receive the encouragement and support to ensure they work with councils so that the right people get the right support.
“However, in order to tackle the national housing shortage councils also need to be empowered to build more affordable, good-quality homes at scale, and fast.
“By recently lifting the borrowing cap on councils to invest in new and existing housing, the Government showed it had heard our argument that councils must be part of the solution to the housing crisis. In order to resume their historic role as a major builder of affordable homes, councils now also need to be able to keep 100 per cent of Right to Buy receipts to ensure they can replace any homes sold.
“A genuine renaissance in council housebuilding is the only way to boost housing supply, help families struggling to meet housing costs, and tackle the housing waiting lists many councils have.”