Prioritising local housing needs is key to addressing the housing crisis. We support the UK Government’s proposals, but they must be thoughtfully implemented to encourage development while ensuring benefits for local communities.

The UK’s first female Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, MP, delivered the first Labour Budget for 14 years on 30 October 2024, announcing tax increases worth £40 billion. Whilst agents will be relieved not to see a hike in Capital Gains rates, it is disappointing that the reversal of Section 24 and support for property owners to meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards have been overlooked. It is also a missed opportunity to give structured support to first-time buyers and downsizers to boost consumer confidence.

The property expert and MoveiQ founder has agreed with the proposals we submitted in our Autumn Budget representation. This Budget offers Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP a real opportunity to promote much-needed progress in the sector. Her decisions regarding SDLT reform, support for first-time buyers and energy efficiency, and the clarity she provides on landlord taxation, will be crucial in determining the future direction of the UK housing market.

The Local Government Association (LGA) submission to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system has been released. It urges the UK Government to collaborate more closely with local councils, to improve and increase the delivery of affordable and social housing and calls for the necessary resources and powers to ensure the successful delivery of local housing plans.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has responded to recommendations made by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) based on their year-long investigation of residential construction in England, Scotland, and Wales. Ministers agree that reform is essential to ensure the market delivers homes that the country needs and have committed to creating a long-term housing strategy with the buy-in of local authorities, developers, landowners and investors.

Targeted at clearing empty buildings, former car parks, and industrial land for development, the £68 million will be delivered directly to 54 councils through the Brownfield Land Release Fund. The UK Government has stated that 5,400 houses will be built across the UK with projects in Manchester, Eastbourne, Northampton, and Weston-Super-Mare already confirmed.

Practical measures to ensure local demand is properly considered and a realistic approach to incentives for developers and landowners are key issues Propertymark members highlighted in the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) consultation.

As part of its brownfield-first approach to development, the UK Government has announced plans to support and expedite the approval of urban sites to sit alongside their plans to deliver 1.5 million homes.

Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner, MP, addressed the inaugural meeting of the New Towns Taskforce on 17 September 2024, asking them to identify and recommend locations for the next generation of new towns within 12 months.

Announcing his Programme for Government on 4 September 2024, the Scottish First Minister said proposals to give local authorities the power to cap rent increases would remain part of the Housing (Scotland) Bill. Ignoring stark warnings from Propertymark and other sector organisations, Mr Swinney claimed the measures will give tenants certainty and encourage investment in the private rented sector (PRS).

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has launched a new initiative to speed up the completion of stalled housing developments across England, estimating it could deliver 300,000 new homes. The announcement comes hot on the heels of a warning from the New Homes Ombudsman that only 55% of new builds are currently covered by its service.

Speaking in the House of Commons on 30 July 2024, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner, MP, has begun to elaborate on the updates to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which is a key step in the UK Government’s plan to boost housebuilding. A consultation is taking place over the summer and a revised NPPF will be published before the end of the year.

National Audit Office (NAO) findings show that statutory homelessness has worsened since the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) came into force in April 2018. A report, published on 23 July 2024, is highly critical of the previous Conservative UK Government for a lack of strategy, fragmented funding, and failure to address issues with housing supply.

Opening the new session of Parliament, King Charles III announced more than 40 Bills the UK Government has committed to introduce, with housing and planning firmly in the spotlight. Housebuilding, renters’ rights, and leasehold reform are all on the legislative agenda, along with significant devolution of powers to local authorities.

A UK-first deal for renters and landlords will see standards across the rental sector improve under the Good Landlord Charter, as announced by Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester Mayor on 12 July, along with the promise of delivering thousands of new homes.

In a roundtable meeting with all the regional mayors in England, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister have discussed how to scale up devolution and give regional governments greater control over unlocking economic growth, powered by housebuilding, in their areas. Local Growth Plans were also on the agenda, and the mayors were tasked to identify local specialisms and contribute to a national industrial strategy.