It was only November that CABE chief executive Jon Rouse told Housebuilder that the public sector was gearing up to move into the private homes for sale market. He said that private sector firms would have to embrace the demands of quality, design, sustainability, training and prefabrication if they were to benefit from the government&amp;’s drive for new homes.<p></p><p> In just a few weeks that situation has moved on dramatically. Places for People has set up Emblem to develop new homes for sale at the massive Walker Riverside project which it won against private sector consortia. Peabody Trust is building homes for sale in London and employing ex-Wilcon man John Weir to help. And planning minister Lord Rooker, speaking exclusively to Housebuilder has reaffirmed the view that developers that want to build on land assembled by English Partnerships, in areas such as Thames Gateway, need to &amp;“step up&amp;” their performance if they are to be successful.</p><p> As Rouse told us in November, times are changing. We examine these changes and their implications. We find that, in what seems certain to be a difficult market in 2003, those housebuilders which want to take advantage of the opportunities that arise through the …