Oral Answers to Questions

Michael Gove Excerpts

Monday 28th November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove (Surrey Heath) (Con)]

5. What steps he is taking to build and develop more homes.

[The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Sajid Javid)]

The Government are investing over £25 billion over this spending review period. Our home building fund will help small builders, our accelerated construction programme will see more homes built faster, and we announced a further £1.4 billion for our affordable homes programme in last week’s autumn statement.

[Michael Gove]

I thank the Secretary of State for his response. He will be aware that communities welcome development all the more if the architecture is sympathetic to the local vernacular, artisan builders are involved in the development, and the environment is respected. In achieving all of those ends, what role do garden villages have to play?

[Sajid Javid]

We will be supporting a number of garden villages—those that are committed to being well-designed communities and that will stand out as exemplars of good development for years to come. We will ensure that there are real and important benefits that are rightly secured from the outset: quality, design, cutting-edge technology, local employment opportunities, accessible green space, and fantastic access to public transport.