One thing is clear: housing and planning will not be at the top of the Prime Minister’s in tray come 9 June. Brexit is set to devour civil service and governmental resources as the withdrawal negotiations begin in earnest: Brexit will eclipse domestic policy for years to come.

The creation of new garden cities has been mentioned by all three main parties, with varying degrees of emphasis, as a way of addressing the UK’s housing shortage.  Where to put the new settlements, however, is naturally a politically charged issue – particularly in the Conservative Party due to the mooted locations being in their electoral heartland. As the 2015 general election approaches and the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives look to differentiate themselves from one another, the emerging tension over garden cities will undoubtedly sharpen. So what have the three main parties been saying?

The three major parties have hit 2014 running with announcements on housing policy. With opinion polls showing housing is a key voter concern, one thing is clear: the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats all agree that the UK is facing a housing shortage. How to address the shortage, however, is shaping up to be a key electoral battleground. So, as the opening salvos of the 2015 election campaign are fired, what is being said on housing and what will the key themes be going into the election?