She lent her support for measures to build more homes on genuine brownfield land, but said that necessary infrastructure (like schools, hospitals, roads, public transport, water supplies) was essential, and environmental protection like the Green Belt must be maintained.
She was also critical of hikes to stamp duty under Labour and cuts to the rights of social tenants to buy their home. Across the West Midlands, the average first time buyer pays £1,341 more stamp duty under Labour, whilst the average home buyer pays £1,131 more.
Harriett Baldwin explained,"We need more homes across the West Midlands - while protecting the environment and providing the infrastructure to support local communities. Local people know best where new homes should go, rather than Whitehall or regional bureaucrats.
"Gordon Brown top-down approach of forcing high density blocks of flats, closing local hospitals and recklessly building on flood plains threatens to create unsustainable communities that will become the sink estates of tomorrow.
"Yet Mr Brown's tax hikes, especially punitive stamp duty and escalating council tax, have helped kick a whole generation off the housing ladder. He has presided over falling home ownership and curtailed the right of social tenants to own their home."