Government Demands Immediate, Mandatory Housing Plans from Councils to Build 1.5m Homes

By Evans Momodu
3 minute read


The UK government is imposing "immediate, mandatory" housing targets on local councils, giving them just 12 weeks to outline plans for new homes as Labour aims to build 1.5 million houses before the next general election.

The government announced in its updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that councils that fail to comply will have the plans enforced on them.

Labour’s housing strategy, unveiled during its election campaign, seeks to address housing affordability and supply shortages. The ambitious goal includes building 370,000 homes annually in England, with a focus on addressing the needs of 1.3 million households on social housing waiting lists.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer emphasized the urgency of the initiative, stating, “Our Plan for Change will put builders not blockers first, overhaul the broken planning system, and put roofs over the heads of working families.”

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner echoed this sentiment, pledging to deliver "the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation."

Key elements of Labour’s housing plans include:

• Prioritising brownfield and "grey belt" sites: The latter refers to areas like disused car parks and low-quality green belt land.
• Revising green belt boundaries: Councils will be required to identify and prioritise lower-quality "grey belt" land for development, adhering to Labour's "golden rules," which emphasize brownfield first, affordable housing, public service improvements, and genuine green space protection.
• Support for councils: An additional £100 million will be allocated to help councils hire planning staff and conduct site assessments, supplementing previous increases in planning fees.

Councillor Adam Hug of the Local Government Association called for a "collaborative approach" and stressed the importance of addressing workforce and construction cost challenges.

Critics, including Conservative shadow housing secretary Kevin Hollinrake, accused Labour of disregarding local community concerns.

Labour maintains that its bold measures are essential to solving the UK's housing crisis and meeting its targets.
Source: Sky news