Build, baby, build!

The government has intensified its focus on accelerating housebuilding, with the new Housing Secretary Steve Reed urging leading developers and contractors to play their part in meeting the target of 1.5 million new homes during this Parliament.

Following a roundtable with industry leaders, Reed confirmed that the government will work in partnership with developers to address barriers that continue to slow progress, particularly the complexity of planning processes. He stressed that reforms already under way, supported by the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill, are designed to unlock land and streamline approvals at scale.

Reed said the government’s ambition was clear: to deliver one of the largest building programmes in recent history. Mandatory housing targets, previously weakened, have been reinstated to drive delivery. The government has also committed to investment in new towns, brownfield regeneration, and a £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. These measures are intended to support both private sector expansion and affordable housing provision.

Since taking office, ministers report that almost 100,000 homes have already been unblocked through the New Homes Accelerator. Additional funding has been directed at local authorities to bring forward development on disused brownfield land. The combined measures are expected to push housebuilding levels to heights not seen in more than four decades, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Reed has emphasised the need for industry and government to work together to accelerate delivery: “I want us to build, baby, build, so we can put the key to a decent home into the hands of every single family that needs it.

“We are doubling down on our plans to unleash one of the biggest eras of building in our country’s history and we are backing the builders all the way.

“Through major planning reform and investment, we will break down the barriers to development and build the 1.5 million homes this country needs as part of our Plan for Change.”

He highlighted major planning reform as central to the government’s strategy, alongside investment designed to cut delays and increase supply. Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook echoed this view, underlining the government’s intent to reduce obstacles to development while maintaining local input and environmental protections.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, now progressing through Parliament, is expected to play a pivotal role. It is designed to speed up building by simplifying planning processes, while ensuring new housing is delivered in line with community needs and environmental standards.

For contractors, developers, and suppliers, the scale of the government’s ambitions signals an increase in opportunities across housing delivery, from large-scale new towns to local authority-led regeneration schemes. The government has made clear that both private and affordable housing are priorities, with funding and planning reform set to underpin an expansion in demand for construction services and supply chain support over the coming years.

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