Construction of around 36,000 homes has been sped up in the last year, while plans for 63,000 homes have been pushed through as Labour battles to hit massive housing target
Nearly 100,000 new homes have been freed from planning limbo in a push to get more people on the housing ladder.
Experts from the New Homes Accelerator have been parachuted into stalled developments across England in the last year to smash barriers to schemes delayed by planning and red tape.
Construction of around 36,000 homes has been sped up, while plans for 63,000 homes have been pushed through to get spades in the ground.
The crack team, which includes specialists from Homes England and the Ministry of Housing, will now target six sites in the North West, Somerset and London, with the potential to unlock another 12,000 homes.
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It comes as the Government battles to deliver Keir Starmer’s flagship pledge to build 1.5million homes by the end of the Parliament.
Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook said last year that it would be “more difficult than expected” to meet the target due to the mess left behind by the Tories.
Industry leaders have warned the target is ambitious as the UK hasn’t built 300,000 homes per year since the 1970s.
Today, Deputy PM Angela Rayner said the plans would help families and young people to get the homes they need as she vowed to “turn the tide on the housing crisis”.
Ms Rayner said: “We’ve rolled up our sleeves and are breaking down the barriers which stop us from building the houses to buy and rent that families and young people need, helping to speed up the delivery of tens of thousands of new homes already.
“We are continuing to take decisive action through our New Homes Accelerator to speed up the delivery of homes, meet our stretching 1.5 million homes target through the Plan for Change, and get spades in the ground to turn the tide on the housing crisis.”
Experts will be deployed to six new sites, including North Leigh Park in Wigan, Hampden Fields in Aylesbury and Wisley Airfield in Guilford.
Work will also begin to clear the path for development at Comeytrowe, also known as Orchard Grove, in Somerset, and two London sites – Billet Road, in Redbridge, and High Road West, in Haringey.
London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said: “I’m pleased the Government is working with London boroughs to unblock house building as part of its plan to deliver the good growth our country needs.
“I’m determined to use all the powers at my disposal to build the homes Londoners need and get Britain building again.”
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