Councils do not think they will be able to meet the demand for affordable homes in their areas over the next three years. A study by the Audit Commission and National Audit Office found that only 2% of local authorities questioned thought they would be able to meet the need for rented social housing under the government’s current spending round and just 4% thought they would meet the need for key worker housing. This is despite the government’s investment of £3.3 billion in social housing. The study said that targets set over the next few years would not be met unless planning applications were dealt with quickly. It also called for public sector bodies that have large land holdings to dispose of the land for affordable housing, rather than selling to the highest bidder. Sir John Bourn, the National Audit Office comptroller and auditor general, said: “To address the shortage of affordable housing, the ODPM has set ambitious targets to increase the supply. But there remain a number of areas where central and regional bodies can provide better leadership, guidance, clarity and coordination.” Property consultants Savills has said that building affordable housing on privately owned sites is virtually impossible. Yolande …