Housing Reforms and Expansion Plans for Major Cities Announced

Rishi Sunak has confirmed that the government’s primary focus for housing expansion will be within major cities, stressing the commitment to avoid over-developing rural areas. The new housing strategy, set to be outlined by Housing Secretary Michael Gove, will centre on urban regeneration and utilising unused brownfield land for residential developments. The government remains dedicated to meeting the target of constructing one million homes throughout the current parliamentary period.

While Sunak is set to visit the West Midlands, Gove will provide further details about the reforms on Monday, which include proposals for a new urban development in Cambridge, incorporating residential spaces, art facilities, and laboratories. The government insists the goal is to address the housing needs where they are most pressing, all while gaining local support.

This announcement follows scrutiny from MPs, with concerns raised about the feasibility of reaching an annual target of 300,000 new homes, as highlighted in a recent cross-party report. However, Gove’s department continues to work on reducing bureaucratic delays in the planning system to speed up approvals.

Gove’s speech in London will also outline further steps, such as enhancing permitted development rights for transforming shops into homes and simplifying home extensions. Along with these efforts, a £24 million fund will be invested to expedite planning applications.

In a bid to promote revitalisation, the government will also propose setting up development corporations in cities like Birmingham, Manchester, and Liverpool, akin to the regeneration in East London’s Docklands in the 1980s.

Other measures include the creation of the Office for Place, an agency dedicated to ensuring high-quality design in new housing projects and giving communities more input into their development plans. While these proposals have received support from construction and architecture organisations, concerns persist over the potential risk of substandard housing from expanded permitted development rights.

Opposition parties, particularly Labour, have criticised the government’s housing record, with Shadow Housing Secretary Lisa Nandy calling for more substantial actions to tackle the housing crisis.