What are Labour's plans for new homes?

The UK’s housing crisis has been getting progressively worse as one government after another has failed to achieve housebuilding targets. So how is Labour proposing to tackle the problem?

The party’s election manifesto pledged it would increase the Conservatives’ delivery target of 300,000 homes a year to 370,000, increasing the housing stock by 0.8%. To do this, they will:

1. To make more sites available for development.
2. To simplify and streamline the planning approval process so that, once a suitable site has been identified, homes can be taken from design to completion much more quickly.

Here are four of the party’s key strategies:

1. Prioritising Brownfield sites

‘Brownfield’ land refers to sites that were previously developed, but have been abandoned or underutilised. Labour has committed to prioritising the redevelopment of these sites and fast-tracking planning approval for new buildings.

As part of a wider urban regeneration drive, Labour will:

• Ensure there are integrated plans for housing, infrastructure and community facilities.
• Engage and involve local communities in the planning and implementation of these projects.
• Place a focus on mixed-use developments that will create jobs and help stimulate the local economy.

2. Green Belt reforms

England’s Green Belt is land that cannot be built on, in order to limit the expansion of cities into the countryside. While Labour is committed to protecting the Green Belt, it plans to target ‘grey belt’ land.

This is land that falls under the Green Belt remit but, rather than being unspoilt countryside, it has already been used, e.g. disused car parks or wasteland. More than 11,000 potential grey belt sites have already been identified that could deliver up to 200,000 new homes.

Labour will introduce National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) to govern and streamline these development processes.

There will be tight criteria to ensure that any development on released Green Belt land significantly benefits the local community, and any areas of high environmental value will be preserved.

The Government has proposed five ‘golden rules’ that must apply to these developments:

1. At least 50% of the homes built must be affordable.
2. Developments must include new infrastructure and public services, such as schools and health centres.
3. There must be improvements to existing green spaces.
4. Projects must enhance the overall quality of the environment.
5. Developments must comply with sustainable building practices and aim to have a low carbon footprint.

3. Planning reforms

Labour’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which was announced in the King’s Speech last month, promises to: “simplify the consenting process for major infrastructure projects; improve local planning decision-making by modernising planning committees; and increase local planning authorities’ capacity.”

Local community engagement is going to be a key focus for Labour. It intends to give more power to local communities over how housing can be built in their area, through:

1. Holding regular public consultations to gain input on housing needs and priorities.
2. Establishing ‘community advisory boards’ that will work with planning authorities to set realistic housebuilding targets.
3. Seeking regular feedback from the community so that targets can be adjusted as and when needed.

In terms of the planning and delivery process itself, Labour plans to:

• Offer grants and tax breaks to developers that convert existing buildings and Brownfield sites into housing.
• Encourage small and medium-sized construction businesses (SMEs) into housing development by simplifying regulations and streamlining the planning application and approval processes.
• Provide grants and loans for construction SMEs to help fund new housing projects.

4. New Towns

In its manifesto, Labour pledged to build “new communities with beautiful homes, green spaces, reliable transport links and bustling high streets”. The party has promised to select some locations for these large-scale ‘new town’ developments by the end of this year, and intends for 40% of all new town housing to be affordable.

Of course, it will take time to plan and build these brand-new communities, but they could provide good opportunities for investors, as well as homeowners.

If you’d like to find out about new housing development plans and potential investment opportunities in your local area, just get in touch with your local area experts.

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