Sir Keir Starmer has promised a future Labor government would build 1.5 million new homes and the next generation of new towns as part of his vision to “make Britain build again”.
Starmer told his party’s annual conference in Liverpool that Labor would create opportunities for first-time buyers in all communities, development corporations with the power to remove blockages and new infrastructure “built faster and more cheap”.
He launched an attack on the “restrictive” planning system, which he described as a barrier to growth, home ownership and the building of critical infrastructure that needed to be “destroyed”.
“There’s a barrier so big, so imposing that it blocks all the light from the other side,” Starmer said.
“A blockade that prevents this country from building roads, grid connections, laboratories, train lines, warehouses, wind farms, power plants.
“An obstacle to the aspirations of millions, now and in the future, who deserve the security of home ownership.”
He vowed to tackle land bankers “sitting comfortably on brownfield sites while rents in their community soar” and councils refusing to develop a local plan “because they prefer backdoor deals”.
Starmer said this did not mean “tearing up the green belt” but instead targeted “clearly ridiculous” uses such as disused car parks and wasteland, often within city limits, which he described as “not a green belt”. [but] a gray belt.”
“Then this cannot be justified as a reason to hold back our future,” he said.
Elsewhere in the speech, the Labor leader promised a national fund ready to invest in critical infrastructure such as battery gigafactories and ports capable of handling large industrial parts.
It also committed to a new generation of universities of technical excellence with strong links to local communities and rooted in the aspirations of young people.
Glenigan chief economic officer Allan Wilen said the commitment to “get Britain built” would be welcomed by the industry.
“Increasing public and private investment in the UK’s infrastructure and building more homes can deliver faster economic growth for the UK, increase productivity and raise living standards,” he said.
“The new towns can provide a welcome boost to the supply of new homes and help address the county’s current shortfall.”
However, he warned that these new urban developments should be part of wider reform to free up more sites of all sizes across the country to increase stock while meeting local needs.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) also supported plans for new homes and the prospect of a generation of new towns.
“Suggestions to reform local planning laws, making development more accessible, are also promising,” he said.
Calling for an evidence-based green belt review, RICS said the investigation into ‘brownfield’ and ‘greyfield’ sites suggested in the speech was “a step in the right direction”.
“Assuming these plans are implemented, local authority planning departments need full and adequate resources to deal with backlogs, produce up-to-date plans, mitigate staff turnover and ensure a well-functioning enforcement apparatus.” , he said.
He added that plans to create a national wealth fund and establish a number of new technical colleges could help fill significant skills gaps in the built environment.
Roger Mortlock, chief executive of rural charity CPRE, said there was “much to be welcomed” in Labour’s place-first approach and the densification of towns and cities, but said it must be used full of abandoned lands before new cities enter the agenda.
“The Labor leader is right to highlight that unadopted local plans lead to speculative and unsustainable development that is ‘caving in’ to the green belt and our countryside,” he said.
“Urban land can provide space for 1.2 million new homes and before we start thinking about a new generation of new cities, we need to make sure we’ve exhausted the untapped potential of brownfield land.”
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves told delegates yesterday that the Labor government would overhaul the “outdated” planning system to speed up planning for priority growth areas of the economy, such as battery factories, laboratories and the 5G infrastructure.
