The government is planning a programme to release public land for social housing

On 1st September, Andy Burnham told the House of Commons: "We have got to look at how we build as many council and social homes as we can to bring down the housing benefit and temporary accommodation bill, which is ruinous in London for London councils.  We must find ways of doing that within the public purse.  Public land is one way in which we can achieve that. [And therefore] I will be looking at a programme for the release of public land to build council and social homes.”