Conservatives have unveiled fresh proposals designed to help more people take a step onto the home ownership ladder through shared equity schemes.

As a curtain raiser to the launch of its housing policy in the autumn, the party is also calling for an extension of the transferable discount scheme to lift more families out of social housing, maximise the development of "brownfield" sites, and protect the historic character of towns, cities, and countryside.

Royston Smith said: "Under the Conservatives, shared ownership would become a practical possibility for those living in social housing. Under progressive new proposals that go beyond the Right to Buy - the Right to Own - Conservatives will promote the availability of transferable discounts that enable people to make the transition from social housing to the home of their choice, and by moving from social housing into market housing this would free up large numbers of houses for rent."

The key objectives of the proposals are to create a more flexible and responsive housing market, and in addition to extending the availability of transferable discounts and promoting greater use of shared equity, to find ways of helping the elderly and disabled living in inappropriate housing by improving access to, and information about, accessible and adapted homes.

"This will all provide for a more fluid housing market where people can access different kinds of homes as their needs change, and will break down the barrier between social and market housing. By helping people to move into market housing more easily countless social houses will be freed for re-letting to families in need," a paper published by Shadow Housing Minister John Hayes.

Other proposals include maximising the amount of new development on brown field land, by identifying and re-designating former commercial and industrial sites; and reviewing the planning, regulation and tax treatment of contaminated land with a view to making it safe for housing development.

Just days after the Labour Government announced plans to axe several squadrons of fighter jets, slash manpower levels by 11,000 personnel, and shutdown a number of military air bases, it was confirmed that millions have been squandered replacing 40,000 RAF parade uniforms with new ones which are virtually indistinguishable from the old apart from a belt.

The tailor-made, grey blue suits, which cost around £120 each, have been made available to all officers and non-commissioned officers, many of the latter facing the threat of redundancy from the job cuts.

Commenting, Rosyton protested: "This is a typically unthinkable waste of money, for which there can be no excuse. It must seem like an absolutely crazy world to the thousands of RAF personnel who are being made redundant under the latest cuts."

In the biggest shake-up in planning rules since the introduction of the 1984 Telecommunications Act, all new masts would require full planning permission, while health concerns would have to be taken into account, and visual intrusion reduced.

The proposals have unveiled recently by Shadow Local and Devolved Government Secretary Caroline Spelman amid warnings that under 3G technology, there could be an estimated 100,000 more masts sited across the country, in addition to new ‘Tetra' and Network Rail masts.

Launching a new Conservative campaign, "You decide where they go", Royston Smith said: "The erection of poorly-located masts is causing considerable disquiet in many parts of the country. There is a presumption in favour of development inherent in the current planning system, which overrides local, environmental and safety concerns."

Under the new five point plan, all mobile phone mast developments would require full planning permission, leaving local councillors clearly accountable for location decisions; a single process would be used for deciding all mast sites, including those on Network Rail or church property; and councils would be allowed to take health concerns into account when masts are proposed near homes, hospitals and schools. Current national planning guidance prohibits this.

The Conservatives would also require mast operators to demonstrate that developments do not lead to unacceptable visual damage; and local authorities would be asked to draw up supplementary planning guidance to ensure consistency and clarity for operators and residents.

Royston told local residents at a recent meeting: "Conservatives will champion the interests of local residents and address the feelings of powerlessness and frustration experienced living under the threat of badly sited masts. Local councillors, answerable to local residents via the ballot box, should have the final say on where they go."