Housing has not been far from the headlines for years, although of late Brexit has taken centre stage.  The well documented housing shortage continues and many voters will be taking a keen interest in what the Conservatives and Labour say they can do to address it.  This article takes a brief look at what the two main parties pledge on housing. 

Housing

The Tories continue to propose a target of 300,000 new homes a year across all tenures. They say they will make the planning system simpler for the public and small builders.  This suggests the application of planning requirements will depend upon the nature of the applicant!

Modern construction methods will be supported.  Planning rules are to be amended so that infrastructure is delivered ahead of housing: the roads, GPs and schools are to be delivered before the residents move in.  This is clearly desirable, but the significant forward funding required makes this extremely difficult to deliver.  A £10 billion Single Housing Infrastructure Fund is set to help to deliver this faster. 

Communities will be asked to develop design standards; work to improve safety is to continue; self-builders are to be supported with access to Help to Buy and assistance in finding plots; innovative design and low energy homes are encouraged; the Green Belt will be protected and enhanced where required.

Like the Tories, Labour intend to protect the Green Belt.   The brownfield first approach is to continue.  At face value it clearly makes sense to utilise brownfield land, in reality issues can be myriad.  Facilitating the housing required for the country, in a short timescale, may actually require well thought out development of greenfield and even Green Belt sites first.  Waiting for brownfield first might prolong the acute housing need situation.     

Labour will create a Department for Housing, a more accountable Homes England and an English Sovereign Land Trust with powers to purchase land more cheaply.  Purchased land will be used for housing delivery by Council’s, not private developers.

Labour will reform Help to Buy so that it focusses on first time buyers on ordinary incomes; overseas companies buying housing will pay a levy on housing purchases; local people will have the first opportunity to buy new homes in their area; Councils will have powers to tax properties empty for over a year; and will end the sale of leasehold property.

Various measures are proposed for private renters to improve security and give certainty over standards and rent levels.

Affordable Housing

The Tories will bring forward a Social Housing White Paper and renew the Affordable Homes Programme.  The White Paper will set out measures to empower tenants and support the supply of social homes and the Programme is tasked with supporting delivery of hundreds of thousands of affordable homes.   The measures are to be partially funded by a surcharge on non-UK resident home buyers. 

The Labour pledges are far bolder.  A new social housebuilding programme of at least 150,000 new homes per year by the end of the Parliamentary term is proposed.  This level of Council home building has not been seen since the aftermath of the Second World War.  A new duty is to be placed on Councils to plan, build and fund these homes in their area, backed by national Government. 

Labour intend to scrap the definition of affordable housing adopted under a Tory administration.  The current definition, 80% of market rents, has been widely criticised.  Housing costs remain out of reach for many of those requiring affordable housing in expensive areas, based on the 80% definition.

Labour also pledge to remove the right to convert office blocks to residential flats without planning permission (this permitted development right has always been controversial), remove the right to buy, provide funding to re-purchase housing held by private landlords, giving tenants the ability to veto regeneration and a right to a home on same site and terms and fund a new Decent Homes programme.

Homelessness

Both the Tory and Labour manifestos recognise the problem of homelessness. 

The Tory intention is that the increased supply of affordable homes prevents homelessness along with enforcement of the Homelessness Reduction Act, plus expanding the Rough Sleeping Initiative and Housing First programmes to bring together local services.

Again, Labour intentions go further.  They pledge an end to homelessness within five years.  8,000 additional homes will be available for the homeless, hostels will be upgraded and expanded.  Root causes are to be addressed by raising the Local Housing Allowance and channelling £1 billion a year into Council homelessness services.  Funding will be raised through a national levy on second homes.

At the time of writing polling indicates a Conservative win on 12 December.  We wait to see what the actual outcome is, and, whatever it is, whether the relevant manifesto claims are ever delivered.