The Government’s wide-ranging ‘levelling up’ policy intends to reduce geographic economic, social and health inequalities and introduce legislation to improve the regulation of social housing. Last year’s Planning White Paper proposed fundamental changes to the housing market and deflects from the new homes manifesto commitment.
Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove has said that meeting the 2019 manifesto commitment of building 300,000 homes by 2025 is only one criteria for success. He later commented that,
“We’re going to do everything we can to meet the target – but it’s no kind of success simply to hit a target if the homes that are built are shoddy, in the wrong place, don’t have the infrastructure required, and are not contributing to beautiful communities”.
In the wake of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, it aims to make fundamental changes to the housing market and to make regeneration easier.
Chris Waine, director at Hive Projects comments on the latest plan highlighted in the Queen’s Speech:
“The 300,000 homes a year plan has just not been delivered, it’s been talked about for a while but we are miles behind that target. I think there are positive announcements around infrastructure and transport, which will enable more housing development opportunities by unlocking land and improving viability, and the changes in planning laws hopefully will enable housing projects to be delivered quicker.
“Some of these things are going to take a while to come to fruition but I think some of the devolution narrative around the planning process and involving more local communities in the process is a real positive”.