黑洞社区

Keir Starmer has pledged to 鈥済et Britain鈥檚 future back鈥� by building 1.5 million homes over the next five years, 鈥渂ulldozing鈥� the planning system and constructing a wave of new towns across England.

Targeting two consecutive terms in power, the Labour leader promised to 鈥渂uild a new Britain鈥� during a decade of 鈥渘ational renewal鈥� following 13 years of Conservative-led government.

鈥淲hat is broken can be repaired, what is ruined can be rebuilt,鈥� he told delegates at the party鈥檚 conference in Liverpool, potentially the last before next year鈥檚 general election.

During an hour-long speech which started with a protester storming the stage and pouring glitter over Starmer, the party leader blasted what he described as the Conservative鈥檚 鈥渟ticking plaster politics鈥� and said Labour was a 鈥減arty of service鈥�.

He said the party would launch a new plan to 鈥渇ight the blockers who hold a veto over British aspiration鈥�, including 鈥渓and-banking鈥� developers and councils that 鈥渞efuse to develop a local plan because they prefer a backdoor deal鈥�.

He singled out the planning system as 鈥渙ne barrier so imposing that it鈥� stops this country building roads, grid connections, laboratories, train lines, warehouses, wind farms, power stations 鈥� an obstacle to the aspirations of millions.鈥�

鈥淎 future hidden by our restricted planning system, and we must bulldoze through it,鈥� he added.

黑洞社区 1.5m over five years means housebuilding would hit 300,000 homes a year on average. 黑洞社区鈥檚 sister title Housing Today鈥檚 has been calling for the current Conservative-led government to recommit to its 300,000 homes a year pledge with a plan of action to get there.

Starmer said Labour would build the 鈥渘ext generation of new towns鈥� on land acquired by state-backed developers. They would be given powers to buy land at lower prices, without having to factor in the usual increase in the value for potential planning permission.

Planning rules would be rewritten to set out new design standards with a focus on providing 鈥済entle urban development鈥� with five-storey Georgian townhouses, Starmer said.

Developers meeting the standards would then be given 鈥減lanning passports鈥� to make it easier to build on brownfield land.

Labour would also allow development on low-quality green belt such as scrubland and car parks, dubbed 鈥済rey belt鈥� by the party. Half of the homes to be built will be affordable.

Doctors鈥� surgeries, schools, transport links and other infrastructure would be 鈥渉ardwired鈥� into the plans, Starmer said in the speech.

Local councils will be invited to draw up proposals for the 鈥渓arge-scale鈥� towns, with any affordable homes being put towards meeting their local housing targets.

The party would launch a six-month consultation to identify areas with 鈥渦nmet housing need鈥� and potential for growth which are suitable for new development.

Sites for the towns have not yet been chosen but Starmer鈥檚 team is said to be looking at Cambridge and the 鈥淢1 corridor鈥� around Milton Keynes, according to The Times.

The leader has reportedly been working with Matthew Pennycook, the shadow housing minister, to draw up detailed proposals for an overhaul of planning rules to produce up to 100,000 more new homes a year.

Other announcements made by Starmer included a new generation of technical excellence colleges 鈥減lanted firmly in the ground of young people鈥檚 aspirations鈥�.

Angela Rayner, housing secretary, pledged on Sunday to boost affordable housing delivery by reforming the planning system and strengthening rules on developers to stop them 鈥渨riggling out of their responsibilities鈥�.

Yesterday Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, announced plans to speed up 鈥渃ritically important鈥� infrastructure such as life sciences facilities, battery factories and 5G infrastructure.

Meanwhile, communities would be given incentives for allowing development, clearer national guidance would be set for developers to avoid unnecessary litigation and the stamp duty surcharge paid by non-UK residents would be raised to 3% to pay for 300 new planning officers.