The Government published its Plan for Change on Thursday, 5 December. The plan included a pledge to decide on at least 150 major infrastructure projects and deliver 1.5 million homes in this Parliament.

The document outlines the Government's aims focusing on six key policy goals to be achieved by the end of the parliament. These include delivering higher living standards with increased disposable income and GDP growth, building 1.5 million homes, meeting NHS waiting time targets of 92% of patients treated within 18 weeks, adding 13,000 police officers, ensuring 75% of five-year-olds are school-ready, and putting the UK on track to achieve 95% clean power by 2030.

Key measures of the Government’s pledge to deliver 1.5 million homes in this Parliament include simplifying the planning process, reducing delays, and investing £5 billion in housing, including affordable homes. The government has already approved several projects and additional initiatives, such as the New Homes Accelerator group, which aims to resolve housing bottlenecks and stimulate construction.

On the plan, Neil Jefferson, Chief Executive at the Home Builders Federation (HBF) says: “The ambition, and changes announced on planning in summer are very welcome, but if we are to achieve the Government’s very challenging target further policy interventions are needed. Ensuring local authority planning departments have sufficient capacity to process applications efficiently is key.

“The government also needs to do more to support prospective buyers, in particular young people, access suitable mortgage finance. It is the first time in 60 years there is no effective government support for home ownership and the suppressed level of demand reduces the industry’s ability to invest. We also need assistance for housing associations to enable them to purchase the affordable housing provided by housebuilders as part of the planning permission and a solution to the unnecessary nutrient neutrality issue that is holding up around 160,000 new homes. “

“If Government can create a climate within which the industry can deliver it will do so, providing high-quality new homes, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, and boosting economies and communities across the country.”