The UK Government is aiming to deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, presenting a hugely difficult task for Local and Combined Authorities.

Bringing together research conducted for several Combined Authorities, including West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, West Midlands Combined Authority South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, and Tees Valley Combined Authority, the strategic action plan is designed to support Combined Authorities to develop effective housing strategies, accelerate delivery, and align development with broader regional priorities.

Plan introduction

The UK Government has set an ambitious target to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years in response to the nation’s housing crisis. This target presents Combined Authorities across the United Kingdom with a dual challenge: significantly increasing housing delivery while ensuring the creation of sustainable, high-quality communities. Addressing this challenge requires a shift from the norm. In a recent House of Lords debate, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage highlighted Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) as a pivotal component in meeting housing supply targets while advancing net-zero goals within a broader housing strategy. While MMC offers industry benefits such as accelerated delivery times, improved quality control, reduced environmental impact and opportunities for regional growth, its adoption is not without challenges. Combined Authorities must navigate a complex landscape characterised by:

  • Demand: Demand-side issues and limited internal expertise leading to challenges in aggregating demand and unlocking viability across portfolios
  • Planning and policies: Planning and regulatory hurdles, particularly inconsistent policies across local authorities
  • Supply: Supply-side constraints, such as an immature market and lack of standardisation
  • Perception: Stakeholder and perception challenges, including resistance to change, skills gaps and increased risk perception

However, given the significant potential of MMC compared to traditional methods, its benefits are too valuable to be discounted, particularly in the context of the government’s ambitious housing targets.

To read the Strategic Action Plan in full visit: https://akerlof.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Leveraging-MMC-to-Address-Housing-Challenges-A-Strategic-Action-Plan-for-Combined-Authorities.pdf