WHY WE HAVE TO BUILD EXO-TOWNS

摘要

It is one year since the housing minister Yvette Cooper launched her eco-town idea, supported by Gordon Brown as he became prime minister. Today the programme belongs to her successor Caroline Flint. It seems to have been a carefully considered move. The Treasury under Gordon Brown had become increasingly agitated that we were not building enough houses. Firms could not expand because they could not recruit staff. They also saw the effect on people forced to squash together. Kate Barker, the Bank of England economist, had been asked to shake up the planning system to get more houses built. The eco-towns idea was the housing minister's contribution - with 3 million houses needed, and delivery falling, something had to be done.