Tories ‘suppressing’ garden cities report

The Tories have been accused of suppressing a report that calls for two new garden cities to combat the housing shortage.

Liberal Democrat party president Tim Farron suggested Conservatives were concerned that the proposals could alienate voters in their southern heartlands.

The report was initially commissioned nearly two years ago after Prime Minister David Cameron gave a speech supporting the idea of garden cities.

It is believed to float two potential sites in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire – where Mr Cameron’s own Witney constituency is.

Earlier this week Lib Dem deputy prime minister Nick Clegg signalled his continued support for new garden cities, saying he hoped plans would be published as soon as possible.

Tories ‘displaying Nimby attitude’

Mr Farron told the Daily Telegraph: “It is time to break the log jam. This report needs to come out now and come out quickly.

“The Tories are displaying a Nimby attitude towards garden cities.

“We need to grasp this nettle and turn all these warm words about housing into action. For a growing number of people, the aspiration of home ownership, with all the security it brings, has become a distant dream.

“We need to do much more to help people realise their dreams.

“Garden cities offer a real chance for us to help tackle this problem and boost the economy.”

Opposition from local councils

Government plans for new garden cities have run into opposition from local authorities.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has reportedly said he would not “impose” the developments on areas that did not want them.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls has said Labour would launch the biggest programme of new town construction in decades.

His party is committed to building 200,000 new homes a year by 2020.

Twenty-seven new towns sprung up across the UK after World War Two, including Stevenage, Harlow, Milton Keynes, Corby, Cwmbran, Newton Aycliffe, Peterlee and Cumbernauld.