Welcome back to the Housing Industry Leaders Magazine, a premier source of insight and innovation for professionals shaping the future of the housing sector.
This latest edition comes to you as the dust settles on a major political shake up that promises major changes to the very systems the housing sector abides by. With a new government, and the colossal institutional changes it promises, the housing sector is at the heart of the political discourse as it strives deliver sustainable change throughout the country.
This issue examines some of the changes we might expect over the course of this new government, and welcomes the insights of the public sector to highlight their own progress and achievements to date. We also delve into the innovation shaping housebuilding practices today, and explore how a fresh approach could maximise results for both developers and tenants alike.
Floyd March Editor
Paul Rose Graphic Designer
Hannah Wintle Multi Media Journalist
Net-Zero Priorities for the Next Parliament
By James Murray, Co-founder of Net Zero Festival
It is hard to overstate the centrality of housing to the new government’s overarching long term economic priorities. Throughout the election campaign and its first few weeks in office Labour has been crystal clear that it wants to boost investment and productivity, restore economic growth, and meet net zero and environmental goals.
It has been equally unequivocal that it believes it has a mandate to deliver significant reforms in pursuit of these goals. And it is obvious none of these targets can be achieved without a monumental shake-up of the UK housing sector.
Housing is doubly important because there aren’t that many levers available to the new government. The sorry state of the economic and fiscal inheritance handed to Labour by the Conservative government means Chancellor Rachel Reeves has concluded, rightly or wrongly, that there is little scope to borrow to invest.
THE SUGAR RUSH OF TAX CUTS IS ALSO NOT AN OPTION
Consequently, Labour is betting the farm on planning reform and accompanying supply-side reforms as the primary means of stimulating an economy that has been stagnating for far too long. Again, housing will be central.
However, anyone hoping for a planning free for all is likely to be disappointed. Labour Ministers have repeatedly stressed that the hoped for building boom has to be compatible with climate, environmental, and energy security goals. It is in everyone’s interests to recognise that these various goals should not be in conflict. Indeed, economic, social, and environmental benefits can be maximised if policymakers and businesses understand how they complement each other.
Labour’s wide-ranging coalition wants it to build, but it wants it to build well. It wants more wind and solar farms, but it wants them in the right places. It is comfortable with building on the ‘Grey Belt’, but it wants access to nature. It wants homes that are affordable, but it also wants them to be warm and energy efficient. These are not unreasonable expectations.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IN PRACTICAL TERMS?
The first thing to note is that Labour is serious. Within days of taking office the ‘de facto’ ban on new onshore wind farms in England was lifted, big new solar farms were approved, a Planning and Infrastructure Bill was confirmed, GB Energy was launched, housing targets were reinstated, and a review of the Green Belt was commissioned. All of these measures and more will face opposition, but Labour has a big majority and has translated it into a clear mandate. Big changes are coming, and fast.
The second important thing to remember is that the target of clean power by 2030 is right near the top of the list of priorities
The second important thing to remember is that the target of clean power by 2030 is right near the top of the list of priorities. Labour has accepted the arguments in favour of green growth and the role of clean tech as the defining industry of the 21st century. This has already fed into planning policy, and it will feed into housing policy. Energy efficiency standards will almost certainly be strengthened, new green home grants and loans will be introduced, no one will be required to rip out their gas boilers, but the technology is on its way out. Heat pumps, solar panels, and batteries will become increasingly standard domestic technologies.
If they don’t clean power, energy security, and emissions targets will be missed and Labour has been clear that it wants these targets to be met.
FINALLY, NATURE TARGETS WILL ALSO HAVE TO BE MET
Labour reckons it can find a way to meet water pollution targets while building more houses. It is confident it can deliver on nature recovery goals while enabling more development. Biodiversity funding and designing for both net zero and nature is going to become ever more important.
None of this will be easy. There are significant skills challenges to be overcome and there will be plenty of rows in the coming years as developers, environmental campaigners, local communities, and policymakers attempt to thrash out compromise positions that work for as many people as possible. These are just some of the many issues we’ll be discussing at the upcoming Net Zero Festival in October, which will explore how to accelerate a net zero transition that promises to transform the UK’s economy for the better.
ROCK THE VOTE:
Because ultimately there is a huge opportunity for the housing sector to play an absolutely central role in an economic and environmental mission that will echo through the rest of the century and beyond. Labour wants to build and it wants to decarbonise. The housing industry can and should do both. There
The Move to Natural Materials in Construction: What the Experts Say
The dialogue around bio-based materials and their role in preserving heritage buildings has steadily been gaining momentum as net zero efforts pick up pace.
While mandates to decarbonise housing stocks are certainly pushing technological innovation, attention is also being redirected towards the natural resources at our disposal.
In Wales, the conversation picked up once more at Housing Industry Leaders Cymru 2024, where a panel discussion around heritage and the move to natural materials welcomed the experts to share their insights in this area
Ruth Marie Mackrodt Director at Wool Insulation Wales
Gary Newman Chief Executive at Woodknowledge
Jill Fairweather Historic Environment Skills Manager in Welsh Government
John Edwards Director at Edwards Hart Consultants & Professor of Practice at University of Wales Trinity St David.
TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS REQUIRE
TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
With around a third of the Welsh housing stock built using traditional construction practices, identifying and understanding the fundamental differences between these buildings and modern buildings is integral to the country’s retrofit ambitions.
Jill said: “We’re talking about roughly half a million houses here, and the reason why it matters is because of the difference in performance characteristics.
“Traditional building materials handle moisture in a completely different way from modern buildings. They are designed to absorb moisture and then release it again, and that has that buffering effect, and they also buffer heat. So there are lots of benefits of using traditional building materials.
“But the problem arises when we start mixing them. So we mix in more modern, impermeable materials, and that starts causing real problems in our buildings, in our traditional building stock.”
Mixing these materials can lead to moisture buildups, which ultimately results in condensation and mould, creating unhealthy living conditions for residents.
So the question remains: why aren’t the appropriate materials used in traditional buildings when the consequences can be so harmful?
John explained: “If you look at PAS2035, it states that you must be using insulation materials which are compatible with the original building fabric, which means we should be using vapour permeable materials for traditional buildings.”
However, John pointed out that most funding streams require insulation products with long term guarantees, most of which aren’t suitable for traditional buildings.
Compounding this, product certifications will indicate how these materials comply with building regulations, but often neglect to state that they are ill-suited for traditional buildings.
“You can apply all these modern products which are not suitable for traditional buildings, they’ve got long term guarantees, they comply with building regulations, but they are not going to work.”
It’s really important to get it right and to use compatible materials with traditional buildings.
Jill Fairweather
“That’s why we enter with so many problems that you see in the press and in the region nearly every day of the week, so you’ve got to get away from the long term guarantees, the reliance on certifications, and have some common sense brought into the agenda, I would suggest.”
Moreover, not only do natural materials perform better than some modern materials when it comes to retrofitting these buildings, there are inherent environmental benefits to utilising them as well.
“We can’t create or recreate a built environment the way we did it in the past because we were using high carbon materials,” Gary said.
“In fact, we were in the oil age where energy was cheap, and so we made decisions with high carbon materials that are very suboptimal, to say the least. I think we need to understand that we need a materials transition as well as the energy transition.
“And on the particular issue of traditional buildings, we’re in a win-win, because by using the natural materials, we are also producing a better solution and a better home for the occupants.”
MOVING PAST THE ‘HARD TO TREAT’ LABEL
The task of retrofitting Wales’s traditional building stock has long been considered an uphill battle. Keen to address the ‘hard to treat’ rumours and assuage fears when it comes to these buildings, Jill said: “Traditional buildings are part of the solution, not part of the problem.
“The problem is with people not having the knowledge and the skills to treat these buildings properly.”
Echoing this point, Ruth argued: “Traditional buildings require people to know what they’re doing,” and importantly, added that the skills to tackle these buildings are already available.
“The traditional building sector has a huge and underused resource in the conservation sector,” she said.
“You have people who have been looking at listed buildings for decades and really understand how these structures should be treated.
When you put these materials in a property, you are looking after the building, the people, and the planet, all in one go.
Ruth Marie Mackrodt
We have a wealth of knowledge amongst the conservation industry that really understands how to deal with these buildings, so use them
Ruth Marie Mackrodt
Ultimately, all roads lead back to government, and the same is true for the retrofit challenge, as Gary concluded: “We’ve got a massive political challenge because the evidence for using these breathable, natural materials has been mounting up over the last 20-30 years, and yet it’s still an incredibly niche market.
“On an individual level, we need to get away from the hard to treat narrative, but on a macro level, putting them all together, we’ve got to get some serious policies in place and change the system from what we’re currently doing.”
What to consider when specifying electric care showers
Over the last few years, an unprecedented increase in the cost of living has contributed to a shortage in housing stock, resulting in an insufficient supply of genuinely affordable housing on the market. An issue exacerbated by the UK’s ageing population; this has brought a dramatic rise in multi-generational living. Research conducted by Aviva at the turn of the decade revealed that one in three UK homes are multigenerational and, given the countless challenges endured since then, it can be presumed that this figure may now be even higher.
As more households have residents of all ages under one roof, catering for all needs and abilities may require significant adaptations throughout the home – particularly in bathrooms. As one of the most frequently used rooms in the house,
bathrooms have been deemed the most dangerous area in the house by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with slips and falls when exiting bathtubs and showers consistently ranking among the most common causes of accidents.
As a result, it’s important to specify showers with all users in mind. Selecting an inclusive solution can ensure that showering is the safe and accessible task it should be. Alongside this, an adapted set-up can support independence and wellbeing, providing occupants with the confidence to start or end their day in comfort. Other issues like maintaining a safe water temperature and pressure, or being able to operate the controls easily, don’t have to become a regular inconvenience.
OMNICARE ULTRA –INCLUSIVE
SHOWERING
There are plenty of considerations when it comes to specifying showers. However, for housing associations, three key aspects are often at the fore – a shower’s innovative features, the manufacturer’s service offering (including ease of accessing parts and labour) and how the shower can help to reduce energy and water usage.
To help housing providers, Triton has developed its complete portfolio of Omnicare electric care shower solutions to fulfil these three aspects and beyond. In addition to the Omnicare, and Omnicare Design, the shower manufacturer has launched the Omnicare Ultra Plus thermostatic electric shower, a product perfect for most, if not all, new and retrofit installations.
Triton has designed the Omnicare Ultra Plus to become the all-encompassing model at the pinnacle of inclusive showering. The Omnicare Ultra Plus aids visually impaired users by providing audible confirmation when the shower starts and ends. This is a key feature which is testament to the appliance’s accreditation from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).
Maintaining a safe water temperature sits among the most serious considerations to ensuring bathroom safety. While hot water poses a risk to us all, the effects can be more severe for vulnerable demographics like elderly residents or those with physical or sensory impairments. BEAB Care Mark approved, all Omnicare models are equipped with thermostatic temperature controls to prevent sudden drops in water temperature, regulating within +/-1°C thanks to its Tri-Therm™ feature.
Triton’s newest care shower is compatible with Whale’s Instant Match Digital Pump. Using Bluetooth technology, the Omnicare Ultra Plus and Whale pump are automatically paired as soon as the shower is powered on, and the pump removes wastewater from the shower tray where gravity draining is not possible. In addition to automatic pairing, the shower will also switch off instantly if power to the pump unit is cut for any reason, helping to prevent the risk of flooding.
Triton’s newest care shower is compatible with Whale’s Instant Match Digital Pump.
With a small footprint, the pump can be installed in a variety of locations, including the bathroom, airing cupboards, or other accessible locations –making it easier and faster for installers to fit and maintain. The long 7m pairing distance, with the ability to mount the pump outside the bathroom, also gives extra flexibility when siting the pump, too.
To further assist people with conditions like dementia or autism, Triton’s Omnicare range allows shower durations to be set in five-, ten-, twentyand thirty-minute intervals. This can be set at the commissioning stage by installers, with the shower entering a phased shut down once it is either manually or automatically switched off.
Triton offers a range of accessories that can further prevent the risk of slips, trips and falls. Multi-purpose grab riser rail kits can be installed to support people who may be unsteady on their feet, and remote start/stop control allows operation from outside a cubicle.
ENERGY EFFICIENT SHOWERING
A final consideration when specifying showers is sustainability, which can help residents save water, energy and money.
This is where electric showers really come into their own. Compared to a mixer shower, electric showers can save more money, water and energy. Electric showers, like the ‘A’ energy rated Omnicare Ultra, cost nearly a third less than mixer counterparts each year. They can also save up to 52,000 litres of water each year when compared to mixer alternatives.
To show just how much can be saved, Triton’s latest research found that an electric shower can cost nearly a third less than a mixer shower and reduce carbon footprint by 70%. The findings were based on a five-minute shower and compare an 8.5 kW electric model to a mixer fed by an A-rated combi boiler outputting 12 l/min, with the analysis also demonstrating users can reduce energy usage by 76% and save more than 40 litres of water per shower.
To show just how much can be saved, Triton’s latest research found that an electric shower can cost nearly a third less than a mixer shower and reduce carbon footprint by 70%.
FUTURE-PROOFING BATHROOM SPACES
As multi-generational living continues to grow in popularity, it’s essential that houses are suitably specified to improve lives at home. Being one of the busiest rooms in the house, the bathroom is key to this movement.
Here, it’s essential to choose a manufacturer with a range of showering solutions designed to meet all needs – facilitating showering that is inclusive and hassle-free for everyone. For more information about Triton and its Omnicare range of energy efficient thermostatic electric care showers, please visit: www.tritonshowers.co.uk
Radon in Construction: What the Law Says About Keeping People Safe
High levels of radon poses health risks, not just for construction site workers, but for those who will eventually use and inhabit those sites. Pauline Munro, a partner at Gateley Legal, explains what the law says about keeping people safe.
Radon and its associated risks are not recent concerns. In the UK, this naturally occurring, radioactive gas is the single biggest source of radiation exposure in homes and workplaces.
As activity within construction – particularly housebuilding – increases, however, so too do the risks of prolonged exposure to radon. Managing these risks effectively starts with employers, who have a legal duty to protect the health and safety, not just of their employees, but also of people who may come into contact with, or be impacted by, their work.
WHAT IS RADON AND WHY IS IT DANGEROUS?
Radon is a colourless, odourless, radioactive gas present in various concentrations throughout the Earth’s atmosphere Radon-222, the most stable Radon isotope, is continuously being produced as a decay product of Uranium and Radium, and can be found in rocks and soils, as well as some building materials and water.
The half-life of Radon-222 is around four days, and when it decays is when it becomes dangerous. As well as emitting hazardous radiation in the form of alpha particles, which can damage lung cells if the radon gas has been inhaled, radon’s decay
products can attach to atmospheric dust and water droplets. These can become lodged in the lungs and airways and are the second largest cause of lung cancer in the UK behind smoking.
The risk of exposure to radon’s hazardous decay products varies depending on location. Following research undertaken by Public Health England (PHE) and the British Geological Survey in 1980, which measured radon concentrations in more than 600,000 dwellings and workplaces, the population weighted average radon concentration was found to be around 20 becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/ m3). Any locations exceeding this limit are known as an ‘Affected Area’.
While the South West of England is perhaps best known as having higher concentrations of radon, the Indicative Atlas developed from this research shows that many parts of the UK also contain ‘Affected Areas’, including Kent, Cumbria, and Oxfordshire, as well as many areas in Wales.
It is in ‘Affected Areas’ that radon presents the biggest risk to health, particularly in houses and workplaces. Radon that is contained within soil and rock can be drawn out of the ground by warm air, entering buildings through cracks and gaps in the floor. If a room is not properly ventilated, radon will remain within the room, decay and, ultimately, become carcinogenic.
LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR EMPLOYERS
The health of both occupants and workers in Affected Areas can be at risk without adequate protection, particularly if these individuals spend prolonged amounts of time indoors or underground. As such, employers must be aware of the risks and remove, reduce, or mitigate them.
This duty is encapsulated under the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (‘the 1974 Act’), which says that an employer must “ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees”. This will include ensuring the working environment is safe, well-maintained, and meets the needs of those using it, as well as verifying that employees are adequately trained and supervised to carry out their tasks.
The 1974 Act, however, also imposes a duty to protect individuals other than employees. Under Section 3, an employer must “conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety”.
The 1974 Act, however, also imposes a duty to protect individuals other than employees
ASSESSING RISKS OF RADON
Assessing and managing workplace risks are legal requirements under The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Where radon is concerned, this starts by ascertaining whether a work site is located in an ‘Affected Area’.
The Indicative Atlas provided by PHE and the British Geological Survey is useful as a starting point, but it only provides the worst-case radon potential per 1km grid square. To better understand the status of specific buildings, employers can pay to access Public Health England’s definitive dataset, which is more comprehensive.
Once the area’s status is recorded, employers must take initial measurements of radon concentrations, recorded as Bq/m3. All below-ground areas that will be occupied for more than one hour per week must be measured for radon, regardless of whether the building is in an ‘Affected Area’. If a building is in an ‘Affected Area’, employers will need to measure radon concentrations in above-ground areas as well.
Next steps will depend on the results of these initial measurements. Recordings below 300Bq/m3 are unlikely to warrant specific measures to manage radon, whereas those above will require immediate action to control and reduce radon levels in the air.
In cases of 300Bq/m3 and above, employers should seek specialist advice from both a legal expert and a qualified Radiation Protection Adviser. This will ensure that they are meeting their legal obligations under both the 1974 Act and the Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 (IRR17), where applicable, as well as implementing the most suitable control measures, whether new-build or retrofit.
Whether a building is at low or high risk of radon exposure, it is important that risk assessments are regularly updated and reviewed, particularly if the building undergoes significant changes or refurbishment. As a general guideline, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) recommends re-measuring radon levels at less than ten-year intervals if initial measurements for radon were only just below the 300 Bq/m3 threshold.
Once the area’s status is recorded, employers must take initial measurements of radon concentrations, recorded as Bq/m3
According to the UK National Radon Action Plan, which was published by PHE in 2018, the UK “has more than four decades of experience in characterising and controlling radon in homes and workplaces”.
Engaging with and understanding this experience, backed by specialist legal support, will be one of the best ways to ensure that the health of both those building the houses, and those living in them, is protected over the long term.
A Planning Solicitors’ Perspective on New Reforms
Planning is an emotive subject, there are no two ways about it. This is one of the reasons why working in planning law can be challenging, especially during a time of change and uncertainty. Louise Clifton, solicitor within the planning team at national law firm Roythornes Solicitors, discusses what has captured her attention within the planning reforms announced by the new Labour government in the wake of its general election triumph.
The new Labour government’s housing targets to address the current crisis are ambitious, which should be applauded but also looked at through a critical lense. The plan is to build 1.5 million new homes in the next five years, but this feat has not been achieved in more than 50 years.
Obstacles within the planning system and the wider UK economy in recent years have meant that achieving this target has been very difficult. However, the newly announced reforms and the recent National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) consultation intend to establish a much more flexible foundation on which the housing industry can flourish.
THE REFORMS WITHIN THE NPPF ARE PLENTIFUL, WITH SOME OF THEM
PARTICULARLY DETAILED
The reforms within the NPPF are plentiful, with some of them particularly detailed, so it is going to take some time for even the most experienced professionals within the housing sector to fully appreciate what impact they will have.
There are not only changes to existing processes, but the emergence of new terminology and language too. The most high-profile example being the grey belt, which has caused some confusion.
The reforms within the NPPF are plentiful, with some of them particularly detailed
Without going into the viability of grey belt sites for numerous reasons such as remediation costs, and whether or not it is the answer to the housing crisis, according to some professional sources the grey belt only represents 3% of the green belt, it is worth addressing some simple misconceptions that people may be making.
The grey belt is land within the green belt, the green belt is a separate designation from the countryside.
THE GREEN BELT WAS ORIGINALLY FORMED TO PREVENT URBAN SPRAWL
We are not about to see the sudden eradication of swathes of thriving green fields, instead we will see parcels of previously developed land, such as car parks, that are not performing against the green belt purpose, repurposed into a useable site.
Though each grey belt site will have a unique set of challenges and probably objections to overcome in order to be redeveloped, there is significant potential on offer. We can’t forget the brownfield sites too, which Labour is explicit in stating should always be the first option for development.
Another example of changing language is the replacement of ‘beauty’ with ‘good design’. Probably a positive step forward for housebuilding, but a slightly ambiguous one too. Things are clearly changing, but it’s hard to predict if they will be enforced when they are unclear.
Through my experience working on behalf of developers and for local government, involving advising on planning committees, I must stress the huge number of differing perspectives and opinions that are taken into account throughout the decision-making process. Labour has reaffirmed that planning is principally a local activity, which should reflect local views, whilst there doesn’t at the moment appear to be any move away from the democratic approach to planning.
NEVERTHELESS, THE GOVERNMENT DOES INTEND TO STREAMLINE AND MODERNISE PROCESSES – SUCH AS PLANNING COMMITTEES
Greater detail is definitely required still on this point as some processes are already extremely simple when you take a step back and think about them. I am unsure how you can modernise the process of having a conversation, but I am interested nonetheless.
Ultimately, clarity on planning rules and regulations is absolutely essential, for everyone, so that no matter what decisions are made on a case-by-case basis they are all subject to a carefully defined process. We may see grey belt development bypass some of the current planning controls that are in place, but that potentially has its own risks to navigate.
The advice from some professionals within planning at the moment is for developers and housing providers to submit those more difficult planning applications now, because those that are refused at planning committee can be appealed to the Secretary of State.
As the appeal process is lengthy, the new government and its agenda will be more established and those original decisions could be overturned on appeal. This opportunity at appeal stage may entice some, but I can understand any hesitancy during a time of significant change and the desire for more guidance.
There is significant emphasis being placed on the development of social and affordable housing, with changes in planning policy designed to support delivery. In theory this is a very sensible focus, but the reality of business for housebuilders means that it is likely to cause problems around viability.
The contributions developers must make, which go towards mitigating the development’s impact in the local area, are also a cost that may continue to make development potential a more complicated equation.
The advice from some professionals within planning at the moment is for developers and housing providers to submit those more difficult planning applications now
THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE TAKING FURTHER ACTIONS OF ITS OWN TO DRIVE DEVELOPMENT AND REMOVE THE BARRIERS IN THE WAY OF ITS VISION
Using Compulsory Purchase Orders to buy land for the public interest is one approach, which may also see reform in order for landownerts to still receive their fair share – despite new legislation introduced earlier this year removing ‘hope value’ from the equation. It’s certainly something to keep an eye on.
There are opportunities that the government will have its own eye on and likely be promoting, such as the ease in which commercial buildings which fall under Use Class E and agricultural buildings falling under Use Class Q can now be converted for residential purposes under permitted development rights.
I use the word ‘ease’ very cautiously here, as planning is rarely simple. However, in comparison to major developments that may contain 500 homes and countless different considerations, the repurposing of commercial and agricultural buildings to make them fit for a new purpose is something that we’re likely to see become more common if the housing targets are to be achieved.
With a five-year housing target now set, every minute matters. From a planning perspective and taking into consideration my experience, five years is not a long time and the situation will never be completely stable.
However, trends in planning applications and permissions that we will see emerge are going to be dissected in great detail, so this moment in time is both daunting and exciting. Labour has stated the newly announced reforms represent only a downpayment on its ambitions, with a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill on the way, so there is further change on the horizon.
Using Compulsory Purchase Orders to buy land for the public interest is one approach, which may also see reform in order for landowners to still receive their fair sharen
Can Data Deliver the Government’s Ambitious Social Housing Plans
Since the new Labour government was elected in early July, housing has been at the top of the agenda, and we are unlikely to see it leaving the national spotlight anytime soon.
One of the biggest campaign pledges from Labour is to get Britain building again with a promise of 1.5m homes delivered in the next five years. In a bid to tackle the housing shortage, Labour has continued to push forward with planning reforms, introducing targets and its introduction of the ‘grey belt,’ but the question remains – how will they practically deliver this?
Having the property and construction industry as a prominent focus for the government is fantastic, but co-founder of leading property intelligence platform Nimbus, Paul Davis, discusses why the sector remains sceptical about ambitions without clear action plans and the role proptech plays.
THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE
Before we can understand the true scale of what Labour has promised to deliver, we must understand the current landscape.
It is no secret that there is a national housing shortage, and in particular, the social housing deficit is enormous with 1.29m households on local authority social housing waiting list in March 2023 according to the former Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. This is an increase of 73,000 households compared to the year prior.
One of the biggest campaign pledges from Labour is to get Britain building again with a promise of 1.5m homes delivered in the next five years
The previous Conservative government introduced several initiatives to combat the deficit including setting mandatory affordable housing percentages on new build developments, however, little impact has been made as factors like cost-of-living pressures are seeing demand continuing to rise.
Outside of social housing, an equally high demand for open market properties remains for people trying to get on the ladder.
THE PLANS
One phrase has been circulating more than any in recent weeks – grey belt. The term refers to unattractive, previously developed land that sits within the protected green belt. Including old car parks and similar spaces. In principle this seems like a promising idea, turning ugly sites into essential housing, however, with little to no guidance on the parameters that will constitute grey belt, there is a lot of concern about protected green belt getting destroyed to make way for homes.
Similarly, Labour has promised an immediate revision of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which will underpin the delivery of new homes as planning is currently stifling progress.
Mandatory housing targets for local authorities have also been announced by Angela Raynor and a new system to ensure that every council will have local housing plans – with the government able and ready to step in to keep them on track.
These are all undeniably positive changes from Labour, urging councils to ramp up their housing delivery. Early indications suggest that councils will be trying to maximise the density on development sites, including on the airspace above them, focusing on development in sustainable locations and supporting redeveloping stranded assets into residential.
THE OPPORTUNITIES
In terms of opportunities, there are many to be had. Green belt covers approximately 13% of land in England and historically most planning applications for residential development in these areas have been refused, except in exceptional circumstances.
With the introduction of the new grey belt designation then many of these refused schemes could now become viable.
Knight Frank has reported that 100,000 to 200,000 new homes could be built on grey belt sites, and others have produced similar findings showing just how valuable this land can be in meeting housing targets. However, knowing the specifics of each of these sites will be the key to unlocking the housing potential there.
Through examining our data, we can see not only the plots that could fit the grey belt criteria but also the feasibility of those sites from a planning and financial point of view, so that they can be unlocked as opportunities.
Knight Frank has reported that 100,000 to 200,000 new homes could be built on grey belt sites, and others have produced similar findings showing just how valuable this land can be in meeting housing targets
For example, Cobham in Surrey sits in the London commuter belt and as such is a highly desirable location. Currently, there are 20 sites within the small village that fit grey belt criteria as we understand it, and based on minimum standards each of these plots could yield at least six flats. That is a minimum of 120 additional dwellings.
Access to data insights such as these will allow us to examine the opportunities available and combined with aims to overhaul the planning system, will speed up developing essential social housing.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
It is clear there are opportunities and proptech will assist developers in unlocking these schemes, by helping to make the government’s proposals become a reality.
I believe that having access to information at your fingertips, that only proptech can provide, will make the difference between success and failure when it comes to ramping up the country’s housing delivery numbers.
Effortlessly displaying data where historic green belt designations have stalled viable development schemes will be the catalyst to reignite those schemes and deliver the much-needed housing.
However, these stakeholders are all working in isolation currently and that getting behind a dataled approach will ensure they are all pushing in the same direction. We all want to see the same changes made, to develop communities for those who need them in the areas they want to live, but collaboration and investment in the right technology are the next steps.
If this is the strategy Labour wants to use to tackle the housing crisis, we are going to need the full supply chain to get behind it. Developing a new classification of land, delivering mandatory regional targets, and reforming the planning system to support development will be the answer, and utilising data will be the right approach across all initiatives to radically improve housing delivery.
However, these stakeholders are all working in isolation currently and that getting behind a data-led approach will ensure they are all pushing in the same direction
Engaging with local authorities and housing associations delivering Scotland’s housing agenda
• Housing to 2040 – setting out the vision for housing
• Affordable home supply, continuing to work closely with partners to deliver affordable homes
• Building vibrant places, helping create places people want to live, work, and bring up families
• Reducing energy consumption in the home
• How innovative thinking and new technologies will shape the future
