Reaction to the £1 billion boost to housing in chancellor Alistair Darling’s Budget has been mixed as the industry wrestles over the measures that need to be taken to nurse the market back to health. The chancellor’s £1 billion package comprises £500 million to kickstart housing projects and deliver new homes; £100million for local authorities to build energy efficient housing; the introduction of the government’s mortgage backed securities scheme to boost lending; an extension of the stamp duty holiday on properties costing up to £175,000 to the end of this year; and an extra £80million for the Home Buy Direct scheme. <br> <br> Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation, said: “We are delighted that money has been made available to unlock mothball sites. We now need to work with government to identify sites and get work started as quickly as possible. The benefits of doing so are quite clear in terms of employment and for the wider economy.” These views were echoed by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) which described the £1 billion housing package “as a critically important measure to provide much needed housing and stimulate economic recovery by maintaining capacity and jobs in the …