Budget 2009: chancellor puts housing at centre of recovery
Measures to breath life into the housing market were a central theme in chancellor Alistair Darling’s 2009 Budget speech.
Amongst other measures, Darling announced a £600 million fund to unlock stalled housing sites and deliver up to an additional 10,000 homes in England over the next 2 years.
The Government will also delay the introduction of the community infrastructure levy until 6 April 2010.
The £600m includes £100m for local authorities to build new energy efficient social housing at higher energy efficient standards.
The money will come part of an overall £1bn package to boost the boost the housing market.
The Budget also announced the creation two new pilot city-region arrangements for Greater Manchester and Leeds. The regions will gain more power over planning, housing, transport, regeneration, employment and skills programmes.
Talking about the flagging housebuilding sector the chancellor said: "We want to work with the industry to tackle the restraints, which house-builders have told me, could prevent them from acting now to increase housing supply.
"This will give construction firms more certainty and help them meet housing demand more effectively."
Other measure announced include a £750 million Strategic Investment Fund to support advanced industrial projects of strategic importance, of which a third of the funding will be earmarked specifically for low carbon projects and the chancellor also extended the stamp duty holiday for all houses costing up to £175,000 until 31 December 2009.