<p>Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps today told the Conservative conference in Manchester that the party would create a "nation of homebuilders" if they won the next election.</p> <p>He said that under a Conservative government villages would be granted powers to expand by up to 10% over ten years. Local Housing Trusts would enable rural areas to use local democracy to build the homes they need for local families and to support local services.</p> <p>The communities would be rewarded for building homes by receiving match funding of the council tax revenue from the new homes for six years. "We'll give people something in return for development," said Shapps. "At last people will be able to shape their own communities."</p> <p>Shapps also criticised the government's record on housebuilding, accusing it of total failure.</p> <p>"12 years in power. Ten housing Acts of Parliament. Nine housing ministers. And the results are fewer homes built than at any time since the second world war."</p> <p>For more news go to <a href="http://www.house-builder.co.uk/">www.house-builder.co.uk</a></p>