Linden hits back at government housing report

The report criticises the growing prominence of buy-to-let investors who are distorting local housing markets.

Philip Davies, chief executive of Linden Homes, said: "The growing army of private landlords criticised in this report is the direct result of the government's planning policy which requires housebuilders to build high density homes on the limited land released for development, in other words, apartments.

"Developments of family homes are becoming like gold dust as they fail to meet the criteria of local planning authorities who are dictated to by central government planning policy, meaning housebuilders are having to adapt their product to suit what they are permitted to build. Linden Homes built 70 per cent houses and 30 per cent apartments five years ago, but now this is reversed to 70 per cent apartments and 30 per cent houses and it is young families who are suffering.

"Hopefully this report will drive the issue home to the government. Local authorities should have more power to decide the housing mix required by their local community and housebuilders, who understand the market, should be permitted to get on with the job."