Conservatives Outline Election Housing Plans

The Conservative party pledged to abolish home information packs (Hips) should they win the next election. Speaking at the party's conference in Blackpool, the shadow housing spokesman Grant Shapps promised to abolish Hips as a matter of urgency if the Tory party got back in office.

The Tories have fought a campaign against HIPs, which were introduced in stages earlier this year after a series of delays.

Mr Shapps also promised that a Conservative government would introduce a new scheme to "reward five years of good tenant behaviour" by giving people an equity share in their own social housing.

They also accused ministers of "bulldozing" through development plans against local wishes to meet their housing targets and confirmed the party would clamp down on what they call "garden grabbing" where new homes are squeezed onto spare patches of land behind existing properties.

Axing stamp duty for 9 out of 10 first time buyers is also on theire pledge list with a promise to scrap the duty on purchases of homes up to £250,000 by first time buyers.