The UK housing market is facing a challenge unlike any other within the past several decades, a shortage of places to live. This statement dominates most conversations when the topic of politics happens to come up, and there are currently no easy answers. The UK Government is therefore instituting a scheme which will take effect in the coming months as a way to solve not just a problem, but a dilemma for those in search of suitable housing. A military base will be the site of a new housing development in which up to 10,000 new homes will be built.

The site for the new housing development is the Royal Air Force base in Cambridgeshire. The UK Government selected site is intended to shorten the time frame for the construction of new homes. This should be encouraging for those in search of new homes in the coming months.

Danny Alexander, a finance minister, commented on the Government scheme, saying: "The message to the house building sector would be simple -- if you don't build it, we will."

He added: "Using the government's balance sheet will ensure that the scheme is delivered up to twice as fast as traditional developments."

Alexander has run his own numbers on the estimated number of new homes needed each year to not fall further behind the demand for housing. He places the figure at approximately 300,000 new homes each year.

The construction of new homes to match demand in the future plans to be a political hot button when the election rolls around next May.

The issue of new house construction is a topic interwoven with the latest data revealing a cooling off within the housing market. Not only is original mortgage lending down, remortgages have followed suit, falling since the beginning of summer.