Flint responds to Callcutt Review

Housing minister Caroline Flint

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The government has finally provided an official response to The Callcutt Review of Housebuilding Delivery, eight months after it was published.

In a five-page letter to the report's author, John Callcutt, housing minister Caroline Flint said she was 'delighted' that the government was 'able to move forward in line with the broad thrust of your report and to address so many of its 37 recommendations'.

She also said she was 'pleased' that Callcutt was supportive of Planning Policy Statement 3, which sets out a framework for how the government can attain its target of building three million new homes by 2020, and for all new homes to be zero-carbon by 2016.

However, despite the broadly positive response to Callcutt's recommendations, the letter starts with a heavy caveat pointing out that the report was concluded 'prior to the recent market downturn'.

Flint continues: 'Your report does offer some very helpful insights about how government can help put in place strong foundations to enable the housebuilding industry to respond quickly when current market conditions ease.'

At the time of writing John Callcutt was unavailable for comment.

Read Caroline Flint's full letter here.