Solving the UK’s housing problem is one of the biggest challenges facing our country, and meeting housebuilding targets has too often been heralded as the ultimate measure of success.
As the debate on housing resurfaces, there’s a huge opportunity to revisit our approach to policymaking in this area, as well as the way we look at targets.
While we must continue to strive to build enough homes to meet demand, we must also shift our focus towards building high-quality, sustainable homes if we are to create thriving communities for generations to come.
Where previously the algorithm was actually more of a projection, rolling forward historic build rates and exaggerating features of our geographically skewed property and jobs markets, new targets need to take account of policy goals and the rainmaking effect of targeted Levelling Up investment. We simply cannot talk about levelling up without talking about housing.
As chairman of the APPG for the Housing Market and Housing Delivery, I firmly believe homes are more than just buildings – they underpin entire communities and local economies, and will be essential to achieving a sustainable future.
Our communities deserve homes they can be proud of, and we owe it to future generations to ensure we build homes that can stand the test of time.
A recent report by AXA UK makes a compelling case for placing quality and resilience at the heart of our housing agenda. It highlights the vital role our homes could play in supporting the UK’s energy security, boosting productivity, and improving our resilience to emerging risks driven by climate change, such as flooding and extreme weather.
But these benefits are contingent on reimagining the way we plan, design, and build homes to ensure quantity is not prioritised at the expense of quality.
To achieve this, we must first ensure new housing projects are suited to the specific needs of local communities. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to housing – each community has its own distinct character, and its crucial new homes are planned and designed with these distinctions in mind to enhance social cohesion and improve overall quality of life.
We must also ensure new developments are compatible with existing infrastructure, as well as the needs of individual areas.
We’re investing billions into left-behind communities with proper ground-up projects via the Levelling Up Fund, the High Streets Fund, The Shared Prosperity Fund, and the Towns Fund.
Successful applications for this funding have given us plenty of varied opportunities to stimulate local economies: from £15m for new international film studios in Ashford, to £20m for Accrington’s town square, to £10.8m for a range of regen projects in Aberystwyth, the scope is nationwide and diverse.
The fortunate common factor is that the bidding processes have generated local political support and leadership for the investments.
The focus of levelling up is people – specifically, stimulating economic opportunities for people in historically under-advantaged areas. These people need places to live. By delivering affordable, high-quality, well-designed, and environmentally-friendly homes in these areas, we can help to attract talent, complete the loop for economic growth, and make the investment in levelling up sustainable for generations.
Recognising the role of levelling up funding in stimulating demand, as well as capitalising on the local political goodwill for these projects, is a huge opportunity.
To do so we must also work hand-in-hand with the built environment industry to deliver better outcomes for our communities, create green jobs across the UK, and keep pace with the rate of change.
Over the last decade, many businesses across the sector have revolutionised their working practices and embraced innovations in technology and building materials to create more resilient and efficient homes. We should be engaging with these businesses as well as the wider industry to address skills gaps, and encourage collaborative, long-term thinking.
This will be key to creating a housing landscape that not only meets the needs of today but also ensures a sustainable future for all.
Ben Everitt is Conservative MP for Milton Keynes North and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Housing Market and Housing Delivery.
Solving the UK’s housing problem is one of the biggest challenges facing our country, and meeting housebuilding targets has too often been heralded as the ultimate measure of success.
As the debate on housing resurfaces, there’s a huge opportunity to revisit our approach to policymaking in this area, as well as the way we look at targets.
While we must continue to strive to build enough homes to meet demand, we must also shift our focus towards building high-quality, sustainable homes if we are to create thriving communities for generations to come.
Where previously the algorithm was actually more of a projection, rolling forward historic build rates and exaggerating features of our geographically skewed property and jobs markets, new targets need to take account of policy goals and the rainmaking effect of targeted Levelling Up investment. We simply cannot talk about levelling up without talking about housing.
As chairman of the APPG for the Housing Market and Housing Delivery, I firmly believe homes are more than just buildings – they underpin entire communities and local economies, and will be essential to achieving a sustainable future.
Our communities deserve homes they can be proud of, and we owe it to future generations to ensure we build homes that can stand the test of time.
A recent report by AXA UK makes a compelling case for placing quality and resilience at the heart of our housing agenda. It highlights the vital role our homes could play in supporting the UK’s energy security, boosting productivity, and improving our resilience to emerging risks driven by climate change, such as flooding and extreme weather.
But these benefits are contingent on reimagining the way we plan, design, and build homes to ensure quantity is not prioritised at the expense of quality.
To achieve this, we must first ensure new housing projects are suited to the specific needs of local communities. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to housing – each community has its own distinct character, and its crucial new homes are planned and designed with these distinctions in mind to enhance social cohesion and improve overall quality of life.
We must also ensure new developments are compatible with existing infrastructure, as well as the needs of individual areas.
We’re investing billions into left-behind communities with proper ground-up projects via the Levelling Up Fund, the High Streets Fund, The Shared Prosperity Fund, and the Towns Fund.
Successful applications for this funding have given us plenty of varied opportunities to stimulate local economies: from £15m for new international film studios in Ashford, to £20m for Accrington’s town square, to £10.8m for a range of regen projects in Aberystwyth, the scope is nationwide and diverse.
The fortunate common factor is that the bidding processes have generated local political support and leadership for the investments.
The focus of levelling up is people – specifically, stimulating economic opportunities for people in historically under-advantaged areas. These people need places to live. By delivering affordable, high-quality, well-designed, and environmentally-friendly homes in these areas, we can help to attract talent, complete the loop for economic growth, and make the investment in levelling up sustainable for generations.
Recognising the role of levelling up funding in stimulating demand, as well as capitalising on the local political goodwill for these projects, is a huge opportunity.
To do so we must also work hand-in-hand with the built environment industry to deliver better outcomes for our communities, create green jobs across the UK, and keep pace with the rate of change.
Over the last decade, many businesses across the sector have revolutionised their working practices and embraced innovations in technology and building materials to create more resilient and efficient homes. We should be engaging with these businesses as well as the wider industry to address skills gaps, and encourage collaborative, long-term thinking.
This will be key to creating a housing landscape that not only meets the needs of today but also ensures a sustainable future for all.
Building homes for the sake of building homes risks failing both present and future generations. Housebuilding targets are only a part of the equation – we must rebalance our priorities and adopt a more holistic approach if we are to create a positive legacy for our children.