Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves Unveils Ambitious Plan to Reform Planning System and Boost Housing

The newly appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has revealed an ambitious plan to overhaul the planning system and accelerate housing construction in her first major address since taking office.

In a significant policy shift, Reeves announced the reinstatement of mandatory local housing targets, a measure previously scrapped under the tenure of former housing secretary Michael Gove, as part of a wider set of proposed reforms to planning policy.

Speaking earlier today, Reeves emphasized that the Labour government is committed to reviving the planning system and expediting the development of much-needed housing across the country.

Reeves disclosed that Angela Rayner, the new housing secretary, would be tasked with communicating to local authorities the government’s expectations regarding local plans, green belt reviews, and the prioritization of brownfield and grey-belt development.

Colin Brown, head of planning and development at property consultant Carter Jonas, welcomed the change in approach but urged for more details on the implementation of the reforms to be provided.

Paul Rickard, managing director of Pocket Living, lauded the speech as a positive step towards alleviating the housing crisis, particularly through the restoration of national housing targets.

Melanie Leech, chief executive of the British Property Federation, called for bold targets for Build-to-Rent and affordable housing to be put in place.

Andy Hulme, chief executive of The Hyde Group, recognized the importance of the reintroduction of local housing targets but stressed the need for a sustainable, long-term funding strategy for social housing providers.

Mike Childs, head of science, policy, and research at Friends of the Earth, underlined the potential for boosting housing numbers while protecting the environment, highlighting the importance of restoration for any nature-depleted greenbelt land that may be developed.