Back to Boom and Bust?

Date: 10/07/2008

Speakers:

Iain Wright MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, DCLG

Prof. Kenneth Gibb, Head of the Department of Urban Studies at the University of Glasgow

Simon Rubinsohn, Chief Economist at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

David Francis, Head of Partnerships, Rydon

A Centre for Cities breakfast launch

Iain Wright MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary, DCLG gave a keynote speech to a Centre for Cities event, launching the Centre's Home Economics report on housing markets and city economies on Thursday 10 2008, at the Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre. Dermot Finch has covered the launch on his blog here.

The Centre for Cities' report called on the government to deliver on its pledge to build 3 million new homes by 2020, by tailoring new housing to the needs of city economies and recommended that cities should plan new housing supply based on a better understanding of the demand from local people.

The minister, panel and attendees discussed how the credit crunch and recent house price falls affect cities across the UK, the wider economic impact of housing markets on urban areas and how we can ensure new housing contributes to cities' economic performance.

The Keynote speaker: Iain Wright