The government has announced a comprehensive package of reforms aimed at stimulating housing development, unblocking the planning system and stimulating the construction sector. It says these measures will help deliver; up to 70.000 new homes, including affordable housing ; 140 000 jobs and a boost to the construction sector; and a £40bn guarantee for major infrastructure projects and £10bn for new homes

The Prime Minister said: “The measures announced today show this Government is serious about rolling its sleeves up and doing it all it can to kick-start the economy. Some of the proposals are controversial; others have been a long time in coming. But along with our Housing Strategy, they provide a comprehensive plan to unleash one of the biggest homebuilding programmes this country has seen in a generation. That means more investment around the county; more jobs for our people; and more young families able to realise their dreams and get on the housing ladder.”

Jon Neale, Director, Residential Research at Jones Lang LaSalle, said : “It is clear that the Government is now introducing more radical measures aimed at increasing the supply of new housing and providing a much needed stimulus for the wider economy. The supply chain for new homes is almost entirely domestic and therefore any increase in construction provides huge ‘multiplier effects’ for the rest of the economy.”

” I would question whether there is a huge appetite in the house building industry for a large increase in volumes. Most are concentrating on margin rather than volume and have no intention of starting a ‘building boom’.”

“The additional funding for affordable housing, and the implementation of the Montague proposals, are welcome, but more still needs to be done in terms of stimulating both demand and supply. There is a case  for significantly more funding for affordable housing.”