Social housing and planning

“IT’S great to see this government taking social housing seriously again and today was another reminder of that. What’s really important now is that the rhetoric translates into action on the ground as we’re going to need a blend of private and public if we’re going to hit government targets. The Letwin Review consultation will represent an important next step for housing. It understands that there needs to be an emphasis on diversity when it comes to tenure and type as at the moment we have a planning system that is outdated, too susceptible to NIMBYISM and generally incompatible with the efforts being made by the industry to tackle the crisis. Although there is still much to do, the government is making the right noises when it comes to its reform.”

Stamp duty

“The Shared Ownership cuts represent a further signal of support for social housing and the home ownership drive more generally, which we are pleased with, but of course the Chancellor could have gone even further, perhaps applying a similar idea to other rungs of the ladder. Why not look at last time buyers and the crucial role they play in activating the supply chain? They are often overlooked when it comes to housing policy.”

General

“Some of the Chancellor’s comments, especially the extra funding commitments and consultation on the Letwin Review, will be well received. But equally the property market is about confidence and for confidence to return to the market we need a concrete plan on Brexit.”