Government demands 'immediate, mandatory' housing plans from councils to build 1.5m homes

The government is today demanding "immediate, mandatory" housing targets from councils as part of its plans to build 1.5 million houses by the next general election.

During its election campaign Labour promised to build swathes of new housing to address lack of affordability and supply.

And it will today release its latest version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), setting out the government's homebuilding plans.

Under the NPPF, councils will have just 12 weeks to commit to a timetable for providing new homes in their area.

And if they fail to do so, ministers will "not hesitate" to impose a plan upon them, the government said, after less than a third of local authorities accepted a plan in the past five years.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: "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.

"We're taking immediate action to make the dream of homeownership a reality through delivering 1.5 million homes by the next parliament and rebuilding Britain to deliver for working people."

Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: "I will not hesitate to do what it takes to build 1.5 million new homes over five years and deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.

"We must all do our bit and we must all do more. We expect every local area to adopt a plan to meet their housing need. The question is where the homes and local services people expect are built, not whether they are built at all."

Labour's plans involve an annual target of 370,000 new homes in England, in a bid to find living space for 1.3 million households on social housing waiting lists.

Councils with the most unaffordable housing and "greatest potential for growth" will have increased targets for building - and "stronger action" will be used to make sure plans are up to date.

What is the 'grey belt'

Part of the plans also includes a presumption that building on brownfield land will be approved.

However, Labour is also looking to target building on the green belt - including on the so-called "grey belt".

According to Ms Rayner, this includes "disused car parks, petrol stations and low quality green belt".

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Councils will also be required to "review their green belt boundaries to meet targets, identifying and prioritising lower quality 'grey belt' land".

Building on the green belt will have to abide by Labour's so-called "golden rules": Brownfield first, grey belt second, affordable homes, boost public services and infrastructure, improve genuine green spaces.

As part of the scheme, there will be an extra £100m available for local authorities to hire staff and consultants - and more resources to carry out studies and site assessments.

This comes on top of a previous increase in planning fees to cover extra planning officers.

Councillor Adam Hug, the housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said housebuilding must take a "collaborative approach".

He called for "any national algorithms and formulas" to be "supplemented with local knowledge".

Mr Hug added that housing reform needs to be supported with work to "tackle workforce challenges" as well as the costs of construction.

Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative's shadow housing secretary, says Labour have "consistently failed to deliver on housebuilding".

"Labour will bulldoze through the concerns of local communities," he said.

"If Labour really want homes to be built where they are needed, they must think again."