Communities minister David Miliband has said he wants to see a reduction in the amount of social housing in some parts of the country because an over supply of council and housing association homes is blighting many deprived areas. Speaking at a regeneration conference in Barking, east London, Miliband said: “In some areas, the fundamental viability of the area - the over supply of social rented accommodation and the undersupply of attractive owner occupier housing has to be addressed.” He added: “The neighbourhood has to find a different place in the housing market with refurbishment and demolition creating more private housing and less social rented accommodation.” Housing campaigners fear the government’s plans to create one million more homeowners in this parliament will reduce already scarce supplies of affordable housing and divert resources away from new subsidised rented homes. In a change of tack Miliband also praised a scheme in Manchester that has refurbished owner occupied terraces, that were previously threatened with demolition.