Steve Lidgate has been appointed new housing Forum chairman and will take up the position when Hugh Try ends his two-year term on March 31. Under Lidgate's chairmanship the Housing Forum will be developing increased links with the Sustainable Communities unit at ODPM with the aim of achieving the government’s housing targets. He is said to be looking forward to “establishing the Housing Forum as the Strategic Forum for innovation, best practice and productivity in housing construction with a focus on both new build and the regeneration of the existing housing stock.” An ex Laing md, Lidgate currently holds a number of other roles, including HBF president – due to end in April, chairman of John Laing Partnership and John Laing Training, CITB board member and non-executive director of Crest Nicholson.