Recent government planning reforms aim to boost house-building across England.
- Angela Rayner announces a return to mandatory housing targets, reversing last year’s relaxation.
- Rayner highlights moral duty for councils to increase housing stock, emphasizing brownfield development.
- Reforms introduce strategic planning and redefine ‘grey belt’ to meet ambitious housing targets.
- Industry leaders express cautious optimism, urging further reforms to overcome housing delivery barriers.
The UK government has recently unveiled a series of planning reforms, with a significant focus on accelerating house construction. Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, has reinstated mandatory housing targets for all English councils, reversing previous measures that eased these requirements. These reforms align with Labour’s manifesto promise to construct 1.5 million new homes in England before the next general election by easing planning constraints. Rayner has communicated directly with council leaders, underscoring their professional and moral obligations to increase housing availability. This includes a strong focus on developing brownfield sites while encouraging councils to reevaluate green belt lands if necessary, identifying potential ‘grey belt’ areas suitable for development.
In 2023, England saw the completion of 158,200 new housing units, contributing to 189,270 units across the United Kingdom. To achieve the ambitious target of 1.5 million homes in England by 2029, annual output must nearly double, reaching 300,000 units, with Rayner now setting a higher goal of 370,000 units per year. Previously, the Conservative government also set high targets but retracted stringent demands on local authorities due to political pressures. Labour faces a similar challenge as it pushes forward with these reforms.
The government has announced plans to establish a universal system of strategic planning across England, supported by new legislation. This initiative aims to fulfill the manifesto’s pledge to manage growth on a scale beyond local boundaries. Currently, the government is seeking public input on its proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework, with consultation open until September 2024. Key discussion points include potential increases in planning fees, criteria for intervening in local planning, and expanding what qualifies as nationally significant infrastructure projects.
The Home Builders Federation, representing major house-building firms, has voiced support for the government’s reform aims, despite reservations about certain specifics. Richard Beresford from the National Federation of Builders pointed out the need for deeper reforms, suggesting that mere adjustments will not suffice to meet the lofty goals of 300,000 or 370,000 new homes annually. Similarly, Rico Wojtulewicz of the NFB highlighted areas such as strategic planning and housing targets, while urging consideration of commercial impacts and the role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in delivering social housing and training apprentices.
Neil Jefferson from the Home Builders Federation remarked that the government’s focus on revamping the planning system marks an essential stride toward meeting housing demands. He pointed out that, while increasing land availability is positive, success also hinges on affordable mortgage availability for prospective homeowners. Industry leaders like Land Securities’ Mark Allan and the British Property Federation’s Melanie Leech have echoed this sentiment, noting the importance of brownfield development and mixed-use schemes in driving both housing delivery and economic growth.
The newly reinstated housing targets reflect an ambitious governmental push to address England’s housing needs, though significant challenges remain.
