<p>Housing minister Mark Prisk has called upon the “skills and entrepreneurship” of the housebuilding industry to deliver the homes the country needs.<br> <br> At the Home Builders Federation’s policy conference yesterday (March 13) in which a strong line-up of experts offered their views on housing and planning policies, Prisk outlined the measures launched during the coalition government's term to date to boost housebuilding. He also explained his “hands on” approach to his role in addressing the challenges that lay ahead: “I took the view that we needed to tackle real schemes in real locations. I like to see sites and see that we’re building them. If we focus on generic policy, not a lot will happen.”<br> <br> “We need your skills and entrepreneurship,” Prisk told the industry. “It won’t be easy or quick, but together we can build more homes and communities for generations to come.”<br> <br> Also speaking at the conference, Sir Simon Jenkins, chairman of the National Trust, said that housebuilding should take place primarily in towns and only where carefully considered plans dictate. “Development needs planning. Without planning you have fights. If local plans are rushed into, you’ll be taken to court.”<br> <br> A strong advocate of …