Developers and housebuilders have been urged to accelerate the construction of 1.5 million homes by 2029, a “call to action” that coincides with the appointment of a new infrastructure and planning adviser.
Appointed to the role just last week, housing secretary, Steve Reed vowed to remove any obstacles, particularly complex planning processes that slow down development, during a roundtable with industry leaders, including Berkeley, The Hill Group, Lendlease, and Vistry.
Reed, alongside housing minister, Matthew Pennycook, reinforced the government’s Plan for Change as it aims to ignite the largest building boom in UK history and deliver affordable homes through landmark legislation and planning reforms.
According to the Office for Budget Responsibility, the 1.5 million housing targets will elevate UK housebuilding to its highest level in more than 40 years.
“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,” said Reed.
“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.”
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The call comes as Catherine Howard, a planning lawyer at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, was announced as the government’s new infrastructure and planning adviser.
Howard, with expertise in nuclear power, airports, and renewable energy, has worked on development consent orders (DCOs) for major projects like Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C, and National Grid’s ‘Great Grid Upgrade’.
She has been appointed to help clear barriers to private investment and support long-term infrastructure projects, driving the government’s housing and infrastructure plans.
The announcements come as the industry braces for a “blitz of new measures” including the upcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which promises to streamline building processes while safeguarding the environment.
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