NEW_TOWNS' HOUSING PROGRAMMES SLOWED DOWN from 'Brickie!
The reports of the Development Corporations of New Towns, which were issued on the 24th of this month, speak of the difficulties facing them in the housing field. Stevenage says "Housing progress has been the major disappointment of the year." Basildon reports that shortage of labour and overloading of the building industry have retarded the housing programme, and that the waiting periods of housing applicants have lengthened to two years, Aycliffe expresses doubt whether existing resources can meet its housing programme within the envisaged 12 years. Corby sys that its housing programme had to be slowed down to less than = of the previous year's rate. Welwyn reports a further increase in the waiting period from 21 months to Z just over 30 months,
All the Corporations are investigating new techniques in industrialised building to meet this situation. But clearly their difficulties stem from Government policy, and the concentration on luxury and office block building, which lead to shortage of labour, land and rising costs.