Legal News

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis has outlined the government's housing aims – including its aim to deliver one million new homes by 2021.

Mr Lewis was addressing the Home Builders Federation Policy Forum 2016 and said that the government had used the strong economic foundation established after 2010 to improve the housing market.

“In the Spending Review we doubled investment in housing, and set out the largest house building programme for 40 years,” said the Housing Minister.

“We aim to build a million homes – and double the number of first-time buyers in this Parliament, continuing work started in 2010.

“Some have a questioned our emphasis on affordable home ownership. But we make no apology for this innovation – it’s what working people want.”

Mr Lewis went on to say that 86% of people say they would choose to buy their own property if given the chance.

He added that it was “simply old-fashioned political dogma” to insist that government only intervene in the market to support renters, when most people would rather buy.

“To persist with this outdated mindset risks creating a generation of young people exiled from homeownership,” he told the meeting.

“We’re committed to building Starter Homes – and in the Budget we set out some of ways we will achieve this. Councils will shortly be invited to apply for a share of £1.2 billion Starter Homes Land Fund.”

Mr Lewis added that brownfield land would be made ready for construction:

“For the first time ever, local authorities have committed to an ambition to release public sector land for house building – land with capacity for at least 160,000 new homes will be released, matching the central government target.

“At the same time, the HCA [Homes and Communities Agency] will work with Network Rail and councils to bring forward land around stations for housing, commercial development and regeneration – and we expect the first sites to be brought forward shortly: in London, we have approved the business case for a new Thameslink station at Brent Cross, paving the way for 7,500 new, and desperately needed, homes in the capital,” he told delegates.

“We want to release more public land, but we also want to increase transparency across the whole the land market, so we’ll be making it easier to access information on land ownership.”
He added that planning permission was granted for more than a quarter of a million homes in 2015.

“It’s a huge turnaround for the planning system we inherited in 2010, which was in a state of disarray and a byword for conflict – permissions are starting to outstrip construction by some by an ever increasing margin

“We’ll be setting statutory deadlines for the Secretary of State’s decisions, and streamlining local plans.

“Young people have the same hopes and dreams of past generations, and the same ambitions for the future,” said Mr Lewis.

“Let’s ensure their hard work can be rewarded with a home of their own.”
Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors
Duncan Lewis housing solicitors can advise on all property and housing matters, including Right to Buy, shared ownership, planning consents and appeals and buy-to-let.

Duncan Lewis also offers competitively-priced conveyancing services to homebuyers, including guiding first-time buyers through the conveyancing process.

The Duncan Lewis housing department is also able to advise landlords and public sector or private sector tenants on a wide range of housing matters – including right to rent checks, landlord’s obligations under the Housing Act, disrepair of rented accommodation, Landlord and Tenant disputes, tenancy agreements and unlawful eviction.

For expert legal advice on property and housing law, call Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 0333 772 0409.