Angela Rayner is pushing back against claims that Labour plans to “concrete over” the countryside.
As the Deputy Prime Minister, she’s leading the charge to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.
Dismissing critics’ concerns, Rayner emphasized that the vast majority of England remains green and will stay that way.
Rayner’s ambitious plan includes a series of new towns inspired by the garden cities of Letchworth and Welwyn.
Each new town will provide at least 10,000 homes, designed to be attractive and desirable places to live.
This initiative marks the largest housebuilding effort since the post-war era.
In addition to new towns, Labour will reintroduce top-down housing targets for local councils.
These targets will collectively aim for over 370,000 homes per year, with adjustments for the most unaffordable areas.
Rayner’s ministry revealed new housing targets for each council area, highlighting the increased demands compared to current building rates.
Rayner has enlisted Sir Michael Lyons and Dame Kate Barker to lead a new taskforce dedicated to her new towns plan. While some communities will be built from scratch, others will involve urban extensions and regeneration projects.
The taskforce will take up to a year to identify suitable sites, with a focus on speeding up the planning process to address the UK’s housing crisis.
Rayner acknowledges public concerns about overcrowding and loss of countryside but argues that only about 10% of England is built on.
She asserts that it’s possible to build 1.5 million homes while protecting nature.
The aim is to build better, not just more, ensuring that new developments are well-planned and sustainable.
Labour’s strategy includes a new method for calculating housing targets, which considers local house prices and incomes. This approach is designed to ensure that housing supply meets demand in all areas.
The government is also prepared to intervene if local authorities fail to make progress on their housing plans.
Regional Housing Targets
Under Labour’s new method, some councils will face significantly higher housing targets.
For instance, Tory-controlled Fareham will need to build 794 new houses annually, up from 498. Similarly, North Yorkshire and Cornwall will see substantial increases in their targets.
Overall, the South East will be required to build almost 70,000 new homes per year.
Labour plans to release certain low-quality green belt areas, rebranded as “grey belt,” for development. This includes land on the edges of existing housing or roads, as well as disused sites.
Any green belt land released will be subject to strict rules to ensure at least 50% affordable housing and access to necessary infrastructure.
Rayner unveiled measures to boost social and affordable housing, calling for a “council house revolution.” New flexibilities for councils will allow them to use right-to-buy receipts to build more social homes.
Details on government funding and rent stability will be outlined in the autumn spending review.
Planning Policy Reforms
Labour intends to replace the Conservative requirement for new homes to be “beautiful” with a focus on “exemplary” development.
A new draft National Planning Policy Framework will be open for consultation, aiming to streamline planning policies and promote consistent decision-making.
Call for Collaboration
Rayner is urging local authorities, housing associations, and industry to collaborate on delivering a significant boost to social and affordable housing.
The goal is to ensure that new housing is fairly distributed across the country, with a particular emphasis on areas with sufficient infrastructure.
By addressing both immediate housing needs and long-term planning, Rayner’s comprehensive approach aims to tackle the housing crisis while preserving England’s green spaces.
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