Sun, 09 Feb 2025

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 No excuses not to build 1.5m new homes, Rayner says

The deputy PM says she's "determined" to hit Labour's house-building target by the next election.

* Labour's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner says there are "no excuses" for not meeting the party's 1.5 million new homes target by 2029.
* The government claims it will meet the house-building target in England before the next general election.
* BBC analysis shows that the number of new homes built in England continued to fall during Labour's first six months in power.
* Rayner acknowledged that hitting the target would be "really difficult" but said she was determined to meet it through policies such as reforming the planning system.
* Gillian Keegan, a former Conservative MP and education secretary, agreed that the pace of housebuilding was "too slow" and that Labour's target was ambitious.
* Labour hopes building more homes will reduce house prices and make buying and renting homes more affordable for younger people.
* The construction industry has expressed doubts about Labour's housing target due to concerns over a shortage of skilled workers and basic building materials.
* The government also announced plans to speed up the home-buying process through digital identity services and data-sharing, as well as empowering leaseholders to take control of their buildings more easily.
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