A New Vision for Housing: Key Priorities for Homes England

Earlier this week Matthew Pennycook MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) issued a letter to Homes England setting out its priorities for the next government. This will be a welcome relief for them as they have been ‘paused’ since the calling of the General Election.  

The key priorities are detailed below – you will be pleased to know that much remains unchanged, the Government are still looking for HE to drive forward housing delivery and be a key player in delivering the 1.5 million new homes. There isn’t a suggestion of massive new streams of funding for HE which may be a disappointment for areas such as the North East that has maxed out their current allocation. Interestingly, and what will catch eyes is the mention of using more compulsory purchaser powers which is always a sticky subject and often hard to justify on mass, especially in the wake of the decommissioning of the second leg of HS2. 

Like a lot of the announcements and documents that have been released by Labour since July this letter details the ‘what’ but currently lacks the ‘how’. We and the housing and construction sector will be waiting and watching for the ‘how’ to materialise. 

Key Priorities for Homes England 

• Accelerating Housebuilding

  Urgently increasing housebuilding rates to meet the target of 1.5 million new homes. Homes England will play a more active role as a master developer, leveraging funding programme’s and using existing powers, such as compulsory purchase. 

• New Homes Accelerator

  Supporting the New Homes Accelerator to speed up development on stalled or slow-moving large sites, extending this support to new projects where needed. 

• Supporting Major Schemes

  Providing expertise for new towns and place-based delivery, with a focus on replicating the successful Greater Cambridge model. 

• Boosting Affordable Housing

  Maximising social rent homes from the Affordable Homes Programme and supporting future plans for affordable housing. 

• Diversifying the Housing Market

  Supporting SMEs, Build to Rent, and self/custom-build sectors, while encouraging mixed-tenure delivery and attracting institutional investment into residential real estate. 

• Value for Money and Efficiency

  Implementing a new operating model to ensure regional and place-based approaches while driving taxpayer value. 

• Collaborating on Future Housing Policy

  Working closely with government and stakeholders to deliver ambitious housing interventions in upcoming budgets and spending reviews. 

Governance and Partnership Working 

• Effective Governance

  Ensuring internal governance supports the development and implementation of housing strategies, with a focus on transparency and timely decision-making. 

• Local Partnerships

  Strengthening relationships with local authorities and regional partners to deliver high-quality homes and thriving communities, aligning with the government’s devolution agenda.