Housing corporations may be restricted to supplying social housing and forced to place other property, including more expensive rentals, shops and offices into a separate company, according to leaked housing ministry documents.

Nos television says the confidential proposals drawn up by housing minister Stef Blok may require these new limited companies to eventually be sold off. He puts their combined value at €50bn, the broadcaster says.

Blok wants to restrict the country’s 400 housing corporations to providing housing for low income households, with rents of up to €681 per month. These are only available for families with an income of less than €33,000 per month.

If approved, the plans would also restrict the role of corporations in improving living conditions in general, ending their central role in revamping run-down areas.

Corporations currently spend some €280m a year on renovating neighbourhoods and on local provisions such as playgrounds. This work should instead by left to local councils, Blok’s report states.