As promised, Labour has already begun to plough ahead with big plans for the UK’s housing sector, starting with a huge housebuilding shake-up.
Last week, new housebuilding targets were announced by Labour ministers where it was revealed that London would be required to build 20% fewer homes than previous requirements, while the quotas for 65 other parts of the country have more than doubled.
What this could mean is a huge boost for the more regional towns and cities of England, particularly in the north, with a major focus on unlocking sites for new homes, infrastructure and services, and creating investment opportunities in these areas.
The aim of this is said “to better reflect the growth ambitions across the Midlands and north”, and it means that the new overall housebuilding target for England is a lofty 370,000 per year by the end of the parliament.
However, with less of a focus on population projections and more on existing housing stock, the major cities such as Birmingham and Manchester will not have their targets raised, but the likes of Stockport and Burnley, for example, will see a significant rise in their building targets.
Housebuilding focus on new towns
One of Labour’s plans is to create a “new generation” of new towns, with an independent New Towns Taskforce being set up to deliver new communities of at least 10,000 new homes each, although some could be “significantly larger”.
The taskforce will put forward a list of appropriate locations for the new towns within the next 12 months, in what the party describes as “the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war period”.
The proposals would help to unlock the economic potential of existing towns and cities across the country, with many of the new towns being urban extensions and regeneration schemes “that will work with the grain of development in any given area”.
Developers will have to follow a new set of rules, called the New Towns Code, to ensure that the new towns are “well-connected, well-designed, sustainable and attractive places where people want to live”. This includes providing adequate infrastructure and public services for each location.
The target rate of affordable homes within each town will be 40%, alongside “genuinely affordable social rented homes”.
These are expected to make up a large proportion of Labour’s housebuilding targets, while running alongside plans to build on brownfield and “grey belt” land – which is one of the housebuilding policies that has generated some criticism as it can involve building on green belt space.
Economic growth
At the heart of Labour’s housebuilding plans is the drive to maximise the country’s economic growth, a point reiterated by Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves: “Getting Britain building is at the heart of our mission to grow the economy and make every part of the country better off.
“Alongside our landmark reforms to the planning system, this programme of new towns will kickstart economic growth and give businesses the confidence to invest.”
Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner added: “Our new towns will deliver housing fit for the future, shaping new communities with real character that people can be proud to call home.
“With Sir Michael in the driving seat, I know his Taskforce will work together with local people to help us decide on the right places for these new towns, delivering more homes, jobs and green spaces.
“We are getting Britain building again and our long-term vision for a new generation of new towns will enrich the lives of working people in the years to come.”
New Towns Taskforce Chair, Sir Michael Lyons said: “A new generation of new towns and largescale urban extensions could play a significant role in the government’s plans for economic growth as well as offering new homes on an ambitious scale.
“I am proud to lead the New Towns Taskforce to make sure new towns deliver on the government’s vision and meet the needs of local people.
“Our mission begins today and we will work closely with local leaders and their communities as well as the wider development and investment sectors to make sure these new towns are built in the right places.”
