Once again we have Scottish MPs Brown and Darling deciding matters in England. Why?
We need an English Parliament with proper representation for each part of England. The English can then decide on their own priorities. MPs elected in Scotland do not represent the English people and so should keep out of English affairs.

Derek, Southampton, ENGLAND

Brown has no mandate anywhere to propose policy on housing or regional assemblies. He was elected only on matters reserved to the UK parliament, which do not include issues such as housing on which he represents no one but himself. He pledged at the Scottish Constitutional Convention to make the interests of the Scottish people paramount - which he is clearly doing since he propoposes the destruction of our countryside for England only. We do not live in a democracy.

IM Archer, Alton, England

More houses ..great. but I fear it won't be. It will be more of demolish 5 house build 50 flats when sold at least 40 boards go up to rent. I will stay in my 3 bed semi on my own even though it is too big until somebody with forsight builds 2 bed detached bungalows at a reasonable price for those people that choose to live on their own and will definately not live in a flat purchased or rented.

Mary, West Midlands,

Brown field site, now that's an interesting category. Did you know that thousands of acres of MOD land, untouched in centuries and home to rare fauna and flora is deemed 'brown field.' This is because it's used for military manoeuvres. But let's not forget that these areas are also open to the public when the red flag is not flying. So great swathes of countryside in places like Aldershot, Bagshot, Camberely, Deepcut, Ash and many other military training areas around the country are now all under threat.. I've no problem with 'genuine brown' field sites but for goodness sake let's not concrete over our countryside. People must make a stand otherwise what will be left for the next generation.

Elaine , England, England

Following on from the last comment, when are ordinary people going to rise up and express TRUE DISGUST at the twin perils of immigration and the housing boom. It seems that the typical British attitude to keep quiet about all of this (while those with equity in their property are selling up and emmigrating themselves) is leading nowhere.

Why are we putting up with this? Where is the "civil unrest?" Where are the marches in London to protect the countryside, and our ever-eroding quality of life?

C Baxter, London,

What reactionary tosh some commenters have put. The main reasons there is a housing crisis is because of government intereferance. Like anything else they stick their no doubt well intended noses into health and education it goes pair shaped. They restrict land supply, specify housing type, dumb down housing spec and make the cost of purchasing and moving prohibative . The upshot is a chronic shortage that will take years to deal with. An example, in my parents road 70% of occupants of 3-4 bedroom house are now lived in by widows on their own. Why won't they sell primarily because of cost, stamp duty in particular. But there is nothing coming onto the market they want to trade down to, pokey one bedroom flats is not what they want, small terrace and or spacious flats is what they want. Research has shown that relatively little land mass would go if we built loads more, so let loose market forces and give people homes they really want.

Home owner , London, UK

Nimbyism is about selfish self interest in maintaining and increasing their property values, we have been under building for twenty years and I think Brown’s target of 240,000 probably won’t match demand. We must go even further and building more where ever it is needed. Brown and green field sites included. In the 50’s & 70’s we built 300,000 and over 400,000 in the 60’s did these old nimibes complain then? Pure evil and we are not over develop at 10%. Cameron may be in favour but the Tories will be dead against it. People on low wages used to buy council flats but now you need a super high one or two good salaries ridiculous.

Abdi, Ealing, Uk

This is an absolute disgrace, the continuous building of houses has to come to an end if we are to maintain any quality of life.
Infastructure and resources cannot cope with constant expansion, which is only necessary to please business men who reap the profits.
A whole new look at the country needs to be taken, as in where are we going, what are we trying to achieve, and do we need so many people?
To put a wider context on this issue, with the latest anti smoking laws and now the mooted tax on unhealthy foods, it seems to me that the nanny state and the flacid do gooders want us to live forever. One problem, where are we all going to live. Answer, by over building on this beautiful country, which will end in great civil unrest as the resources and room runs out.
WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!!!

Pete, St Albans,

Typical flippin labour.

"He told MPs that he would consider alternative ways of ensuring that landowners who profited from obtaining planning permission gave back to the community."

Do all they can to prevent people from being successful or making some cash.

Their logo for all things should be "Thou shalt not be well off, thou shalt not be profitable, thou shalt not benefit from working."

G., Farnham, Surrey

For this ambituous building plan to succeed we will surely see a significant "manning-up" of local government. Local government will certainly "need" thousands more planners, surveyors, inspectors, and of course ubiqitous social workers to ensure all goes according to plan. Once in position (and having established index linked early retirement pensions) they will completely forget about hospitals, schools, trains, police, water, sewage, electricity and the impact on local river flows. We will only see massive increases in spending, increases in local council taxes, increasing numbers of inept cowboy builders, and a huge increase in the number of uninspiring pebbledashed boxes littering the countryside. It will be Milton Keynes on a New Labour scale!

peterj, Aberdeen, UK

Three MILLION new houses plus all the infrastructure. Where will they find the space in this horribly overcrowded country ?
I have no doubt whatsoever that more Green Belt will be concreted over.

Unlike Labour's usual practice of denying the obvious, then choosing a convenient time to reverse their position, their deep contempt for all things British - and especially English - means that Hazel Blears doesn't even bother to lie; she just comes right out and says there's going to be a "hassle", but "the priority has to be to build these homes."

Rural communities will protest and be ignored by our Red Flag government, Blue and Yellow Labour will bleat ineffectually, and the Greens will display their sham concern for the environment ... but EVERYBODY (politicians and their media ) will studiously ignore the fact that this systematic destruction of our once 'green and pleasant land' has a single cause : the requirement to house an enormous and ever-increasing immigrant population.

M McGregor, London, England

Close the immigration front door and throw out those with no right to be here. That'll save a few houses.

Then. before building, invest in infrastructure. There's no point in houses, with inadequate water supplies or sewerage or if they're built right in the middle of a flood plain.

Terry Dell, Weybridge, UK