Speaking at UK Construction Week at the Birmingham NEC today, architect and TV presenter George Clarke will call upon the government to take drastic action to prevent more families being forced into homelessness because of the UK’s housing crisis.
George Clarke will deliver his speech during the opening session on UK Construction Week’s Main Stage seminar programme.
He will be followed on stage by Richard Bacon MP, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Self-Build, Custom and Community Housebuilding and Place-Making, who will respond to these issues – focusing on the systemic problem in the UK housing industry, in which supply does not rise to meet demand.
Speaking ahead of the event George Clarke commented: “The housing shortage in the UK is terrifying but no-body seems to be doing anything about it.
"There are 630,000 empty homes in England but the government refuses to take responsibility for improving and refurbishing this existing housing stock. There is a desperate need for significant investment – not only in refurbishment but also in delivering a sustained programme of affordable new build housing.
"We are teetering on the edge of a housing disaster and the piecemeal promises from government to date simply will not deliver what is required to avoid this.”
Other sessions at the event include:
- Overview of government construction policy through 2019: Dr Peter Hansford, chief construction advisor to the government
- What are the solutions to the UK housing crisis: Panel discussion looking at four solutions that could reduce the cost of housing
- Dealing with the housing shortage by regenerating existing buildings: Ros Kerslake the Prince’s Regneration Trust
- Debate - building on the greenbelt is inevitable
