Developers are continuing to "wriggle out" of their commitments to build social and affordable housing because of planning loopholes, the Labour Party said today.
The party expressed concern at a High Court ruling yesterday that local authorities are not entitled, "without good reason" to terminate the practice of granting developers so-called certificates of compliance, which are necessary to complete the sale of housing units.
"This ruling confirms the Labour Party view that any arrangement for social and affordable housing needs should be confirmed beforeplanning permission is granted to a developer, and not afterwards, as is the case at the moment," said the party's environment spokesman Eamon Gilmore.
"As a result, developers can wriggle out of their commitments, leading to tens of thousands of would-be home-owners being disappointed."
"If Part V of the Planning Act was working in the way it should, it would have delivered between 30 and 40,000 homes by now. But because of the myriad of loopholes that are there at the moment that let developers off the hook, it has only delivered about 3,000."
He said Labour, in Government, would "revamp" the affordable housing scheme and the shared ownership scheme and introduce a new begin-to-buy option, aimed primarily at people who, in present conditions, would have little hope of getting a mortgage and buying a home of their own.
"Labour will also make sure that the number of affordable houses is increased. The scope of the affordable housing schemes should be widened so that families trading up, based on need, or moving home due to work or family reasons will be able to qualify. Affordable housing will therefore not be restricted to those buying their starter home."