The Sustainable Communities Plan was drawn up by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in order to tackle serious housing shortages, particularly in London and the South East; a crisis of affordability for many ordinary households, particularly key service workers; and the decline of low income urban neighbourhoods across the country, but particularly in Northern and Midlands cities and towns. It makes major proposals to raise housing standards, reform planning, speed up housebuilding, and all within the imperative to protect the countryside, minimise resource use and reduce the environmental impact of development.

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