Amid great pomp and ceremony, Sir Keir Starmer set out his stall in the King’s Speech this week.
Setting the scene, the new Prime Minister spoke about how it’s ‘time to take the brakes off Britain’ and ‘lay the foundations of real change that this country is crying out for’.
Phew, exhilarating stuff.
For those of you who haven’t been keeping a close eye on proceedings, one of the Prime Minister’s key pledges is to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years. And to achieve it, he’s got his eye on a major shake-up of the planning system.
One of the proposals is tucked away in a press release from the Prime Minister's office this week: ‘By enabling democratic engagement with how, not if, homes and infrastructure are built – the major brakes on the planning system will be addressed to support sustainable growth.’
Three important words there: ‘how, not if’. It appears that people might not be able to stop new development in their neighbourhood.
Recent YouGov data suggests that the majority of the public support a large increase in housebuilding in Britain. But unsurprisingly, it's a slightly different story when it comes to the prospect of a large amount of new homes in their local area. Support falls and opposition climbs.
"It isn’t so much NIMBYs who are currently blocking houses getting built as environmental legislation"
Add into the mix, amongst other things, Labour’s ambitions to build on the green belt or, as it’s manifesto puts it, ‘take a more strategic approach to greenbelt land designation and release to build more homes in the right places’, I’d hazard a guess it could be a bumpy road ahead.
We give a taste of things to come — potentially — in this week’s print issue of Country Life: ‘New MPs may find loyalties tested, torn between constituency pleas and Government policy. Seasoned objectors may need to choose their battles, deciding what they can live with and what they cannot—heads versus hearts.’
‘It’s been described by some commentators as a "War on NIMBYs" and it’s not hard to see why,’ says David Hannah, Group Chairman of Cornerstone Tax. ‘The decision to cut red tape and remove blockages to planning make for good soundbites, but we have little clarity as to what this means in practice. Will Labour ignore the concerns of local residents in favour of the ‘greater good’? It remains to be seen.’
But is giving communities a voice on how, not if, homes are built missing the point?
Ross Clark, writing for The Spectator, says that it 'rather ignores the reality: that it isn’t so much NIMBYs who are currently blocking houses getting built as environmental legislation'. It's a good point, albeit made somewhat disingenuously since it's pretty clear that there's a little of both at work.
Clark goes on to add: ‘Labour can’t have it both ways. It can’t claim to be boosting local democracy while at the same time taking away the – very limited – powers which local people have to decide where homes should be built.’
'Developers cannot simply ramp up their output overnight. The new government must create new incentives'
Hannah suggests Labour might be missing a trick. He points out that the plans fail to mention one essential factor: developers.
‘Developers cannot simply ramp up their output overnight. The new government must create new incentives for the sector, and punitive housing targets are not the way to go,’ he explains.
‘Private developers ought to be offered a tax break for the vital services that they provide, encouraging new entrants to the market whilst also stimulating further economic growth.’
Hannah is not alone in highlighting the issue of incentives. Jamie Freeman, director at buying agency Haringtons UK, notes that ‘many developers already possess land but are not proceeding with construction, as the financial incentives to do so are currently insufficient’.
Still, Freeman has some calming words for those who are nervous about a large wave of new homes emerging on the doorstep of their countryside idyll.
‘Quintessential English villages in the countryside lack the infrastructure necessary to support large-scale developments, which means these reforms will predominantly focus on larger projects situated on the outskirts of towns,’ he says. 'Consequently, the idyllic charm of these countryside villages will be preserved.’
Stability, confidence — and lots of new homes: Property experts on what Labour's General Election win mean for the housing market
Britain woke up on Friday to change of government. Plenty of change is expected across the board, but what will
Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside: How coastal house prices have bucked the trend to keep on rising in 2024
Just a third of ‘empty nesters’ downsize after children leave home
Hoping to buy a home with more space to raise your young family? If so, don’t count on it. The
-
'Two months to the Moon, three for rest and refreshment and two more for the return': The English stork success storyLong unseen on British shores, white stork chicks are hatching once again in the UK and a colony is now flourishing in West Sussex thanks to a pioneering restoration project.
-
'Truffle hunters are fiercely protective of their favoured spots, often passed down from older generations': The Croatian peninsula with a proud culinary traditionBlessed with perfect growing conditions, Croatia’s abundant north-western peninsula promises rich pickings for gastronomes.
-
A pavilion, pool and pleasure gardens at this Devon country house 'with not another building in sight'Ebberly House is a majestic country house in Devon built by one of John Soane's pupils — and as it comes to the market, it's a place Penny Churchill knows well.
-
Take over the world or throw a great big party on this private fort for sale in PembrokeThorne Island, dubbed the British Alcatraz, has been a £2 million labour of love. Now it could be yours.
-
The perfect summer house? A country home, beach house and rural escape rolled into one in a prime spot in SussexIf there's a finer house than Grangewood House in which to enjoy the summer, we'd love to see it. Penny Churchill takes a look.
-
A six-bedroom modern masterpiece mere minutes from Europe's best golf courseVilla Stern catches the eye with its distinctive design, and is imbued with luxury inside and out.
-
Everything the light touches… The London penthouse for sale that will make you feel like a kingThe Observatory in London’s Fulham boasts 360-degree views of the capital.
-
This converted mill is the epitome of bucolic beauty and its grounds were masterminded by one of the finest garden designers alive todayHunworth Mill is the very picture of bucolic bliss, with exquisite gardens created by Arne Maynard.
-
Yes to padel, no to swimming pools: How to attract a new generation to the countrysideYoung parents are leaving the city earlier than in previous years, according to new research. What are they looking for?
-
A country house for sale that's had a century and a half of blood, sweat and tears poured into itGeneration after generation has lovingly restored Little Onn — and their efforts have paid off in fine style.
