Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on December 12, 2024
2 min readLast updated: January 27, 2026
Add as preferred source on Google
The UK plans a planning system overhaul to build 1.5 million homes in five years, focusing on brownfield sites and revising green belt boundaries.
By Alistair Smout
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Thursday outlined details of an overhaul to its planning system to help boost growth and hit a target of 1.5 million new homes in the next five years, including ordering local authorities to build more houses.
The housebuilding target was one of six measurable "milestones" announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer a week ago, as he pledged to revamp a planning system he described as having a "chokehold" on growth.
Even though no British government has hit such a target in decades, Starmer on Thursday said there was no "shying away" from a housing crisis which meant the "dream of homeownership feels like a distant reality" to many people.
"Our plan for change will put builders not blockers first, overhaul the broken planning system and put roofs over the heads of working families and drive the growth that will put more money in people's pockets," he said in a statement.
The Local Government Association said planning reform needed to be coupled with "work to tackle workforce challenges, the costs of construction and the financial headroom of local authorities and housing associations," adding that swifter planning decisions didn't guarantee more housebuilding.
The government said there would be new immediate mandatory housing targets, with the least affordable areas needing the most stringent targets.
Local authorities would have 12 weeks to come up with timetables for new housebuilding plans, it said, or else risk intervention from ministers.
Previously developed land, known as "brownfield" sites, would be prioritised for development. Councils must also review boundaries of the green belt - a designation intended to prevent urban sprawl - to meet targets, and look to develop lower quality "grey belt" land.
The government stressed that green belt development would have to ensure development of necessary infrastructure was prioritised.
Councils will be given an additional 100 million pounds ($127.60 million) to support their work.
($1 = 0.7837 pounds)
(Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by William James)
The main topic is the UK's planning system overhaul to meet a target of 1.5 million new homes in five years.
The changes include mandatory housing targets, prioritizing brownfield sites, and reviewing green belt boundaries.
The overhaul was announced by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Explore more articles in the Finance category
