Housing: the count down begins

摘要

Depending on the election result, the publication of the Conservative manifesto may well mark the point at which the political arms race in housing numbers ended, writes Joey Gardiner. Because, if you unpack the manifesto section on housing, it becomes apparent that the Conservatives' ambition on housing numbers is starting to wane. Yes, the 300,000-homes-a-year target has not been ditched - but the wording is tricksy enough to mean it will clearly not be regarded as a concrete election pledge. This is because although the manifesto promises continued progress against this target, the party says it will reach this by the mid-2020s, which can be read to mean after the end of the next parliament in 2024 - beyond which all bets are off.