Housing secretary faces pressure as experts say the delivery of 1.5 million homes is unlikely
Housing secretary Steve Reed (pictured top) has acknowledged that his position should be “on the line” if the government fails to deliver on its commitment to construct 1.5 million new homes in England by the end of the next Parliament.
Reed’s admission comes amid mounting scepticism from industry experts, who have cast doubt on the feasibility of the target. Two prominent figures have recently told BBC Panorama that the government is unlikely to achieve this goal.
Paul Cheshire, a former government adviser on planning policy, said there was “absolutely no way” the target would be achieved. Neil Jefferson, managing director at the Home Builders Federation, which represents private housebuilders, described it as “looking increasingly distant.”
Despite these concerns, Reed remains adamant that the goal will be met. “My job should be on the line if I fail to meet my target,” he said. “I expect to be held to account.”
Reed said that achieving the target in the face of widespread doubt would make “celebration all the sweeter.”
The pledge to deliver 1.5 million homes by 2029 is a key part of Labour’s manifesto. Current figures indicate that housebuilding is “flatlining” at around 200,000 new homes per year, far short of the 300,000 annual rate required to meet the government’s objective, according to Jefferson.
Industry leaders have cited several barriers, including a complicated planning process, environmental regulations, and shortages of skilled workers. These issues are said to be hindering the pace of construction.
Major or controversial planning applications are often decided by elected local councillors rather than professional planning officers, leading to frequent clashes between national housing priorities and local opposition. Councils are expected to adopt a “local plan” outlining where development should take place and how it aligns with national policy. While these plans are intended to streamline approvals, they often face strong local resistance.
According to the Planning Inspectorate, fewer than one-third of councils in England currently have an up-to-date local plan. Reed said that the government will require all councils to adopt a local plan, with proposed changes mandating completion within 30 months of starting the process—down from the current average of seven years.
Further measures include increased funding and training for planning authorities, as well as new housebuilding targets for councils. Reed has also indicated that he will have “more powers” to intervene where housing development schemes are “unreasonably” rejected.
Reforms to the rules governing protected green belt land, which makes up 12.5% of England’s land area, are also under consideration. The government has proposed a “grey belt” category to allow development on green belt sites considered low quality or already built upon. However, decisions on which areas qualify as grey belt will be left to individual local authorities.
Cheshire, also a former economist at the London School of Economics, expressed concern about this approach: “If the grey belt had been defined in a legally watertight way… then it would have been cut and dried and you could have built a lot of houses, but they didn’t do that. They left it to the fuzziness of the planning system and therefore to local lobbying, and... it won’t happen.”
He added that the reforms are “not going to make much difference” and reiterated his view that “there’s absolutely no way that we will build 1.5 million houses.”
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