2015 Conservative right to buy manifesto pledge
The Conservative Party manifesto for the 2015 election includes a commitment to extend the right to buy scheme which was introduced in 1980 to help council housing tenants buy their homes at a discount from the full market value of the property.
Major changes were previously introduced to Right to Buy in April 2012 when maximum discounts were increased from as little as £16,000 in some areas to up to £77,000 across England and £102,700 in London.
This manifesto pledge proposes extending the right to buy to 1.3 million housing association tenants. Under the 1996 Housing Act, 800,000 housing association tenants already had the ‘right to acquire’ their homes at a small discount, but the Conservative’s propose extending the scheme to a further 500,000 housing association tenants and giving them the same discount as council housing tenants.
The scheme would be funded by local authorities selling their top third most expensive properties in the area when they become vacant and replacing them on a one-for-one basis with affordable homes. This is expected to include approximately 15,000 properties a year, raising £4.5 billion a year. £1 billion of money raised would be used to create a Brownfield Regeneration Fund to bring brownfield sites back into use.
The Conservative Party suggest that this will result in 400,000 new homes being built over five years.
Right to Buy will end in Scotland on 1 August 2016. Wales is also considering ending the scheme or reducing the discount from £16,000 to £8,000, and in Northern Ireland, the discount is capped at £24,000.
Featured articles and news
Design and construction industry podcasts
Professional development, practice, the pandemic, platforms and podcasts. Have we missed anything?
C20 Society; Buildings at Risk List 2025
10 more buildings published with updates on the past decade of buildings featured.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme and certifications consultation
Summary of government consultation, closing 11 June 2025.
Deputy editor of AT, Tim Fraser, discusses the newly formed society with its current chair, Chris Halligan MCIAT.
Barratt Lo-E passivhaus standard homes planned enmasse
With an initial 728 Lo-E homes across two sites and many more planned for the future.
Government urged to uphold Warm Homes commitment
ECA and industry bodies write to Government concerning its 13.2 billion Warm Homes manifesto commitment.
From project managers to rising stars, sustainability pioneers and more.
Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, 1929-1990. Book review.
The emancipation of women in art.
Call for independent National Grenfell oversight mechanism
MHCLG share findings of Building Safety Inquiry in letter to Secretary of State and Minister for Building Safety.
The Architectural Technology Awards
AT Awards now open for this the sixth decade of CIAT.
50th Golden anniversary ECA Edmundson awards
Deadline for submissions Friday 30 May 2025.
The benefits of precast, off-site foundation systems
Top ten benefits of this notable innovation.
Encouraging individuals to take action saving water at home, work, and in their communities.
Takes a community to support mental health and wellbeing
The why of becoming a Mental Health Instructor explained.
Mental health awareness week 13-18 May
The theme is communities, they can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and a sense purpose.
Mental health support on the rise but workers still struggling
CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 shows.
Design and construction material libraries
Material, sample, product or detail libraries a key component of any architectural design practice.