Knight Frank surveyed housebuilders earlier this year (Q1) and 80% backed Labour, and are now in a position to provide a clearer picture on what they want to change.
Knight Frank’s latest Residential Development Land Index & Housebuilder Survey Q2, shines a light on the policy ideas the sector is most keen on.
Overall, 50 volume and SME housebuilders were surveyed who together build around 70,000 homes per year in England. Top of their wishlist was the return of mandatory housing targets as announced this week. Nearly 70% support this.
Other priorities include more funding for planning departments and bringing back the 5-year land supply test for all councils, neither of which featured in Rachel Reeves’ speech or in the manifestos, other than the appointment of more planning officers which at 300 is fewer than one per authority.
Anna Ward, associate in residential development research at Knight Frank, commented: “These survey results are a call for a reversal of some Conservative housing policies, from reinstating local housing targets to reintroducing the 5-year land supply test. But they also highlight long-standing issues that the housebuilding sector would like to see addressed, such as more funding for planning departments, as well as a step-change in approach, including loosening greenbelt restrictions.”
Ward added:“ It is no surprise that planning applications in England are currently at an all-time low, given challenging market conditions. The majority of homebuilders, seven in ten, say that planning authority resourcing and uncertain timescales are key challenges followed by affordable housing obligations and viability. So, this points to a clear desire for more funding from government into both planning departments and the affordable housing sector.”
| What would you like to see from the party that forms a government in July? | Responses |
| Reinstate local housing targets | 65.00% |
| Increase funding for planning departments | 52.50% |
| Re-introduce the 5-year land supply test for ALL local authorities | 42.50% |
| Appoint more planning officers | 37.50% |
| Strengthen presumption in favour of sustainable development | 37.50% |
| Loosen greenbelt restrictions | 35.00% |
| First time buyer incentives | 30.00% |
| Speed up local plan making | 25.00% |
| Reintroduce strategic planning | 15.00% |
| Unlock homes affected by nutrient neutrality | 12.50% |
| More planning powers for regional mayors and combined authorities | 7.50% |
Charlie Hart, head of development Land at Knight Frank, said: “While there’s strong support for urban brownfield regeneration, we’re seeing significant regional variations, particularly outside of London. The next government faces the challenge of balancing urban renewal with the expansion of towns and villages. It’s clear that it can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach, it’s a complex balance that needs to be considered.”
Hart continued: “The diversity in development priorities reflects the nuanced housing needs across the country and our latest results only emphasises the importance of flexible, locally tailored strategies to meet these demands effectively.”
| What’s deterring you from progressing Planning Applications? | Responses |
| Planning authority resourcing | 66.67% |
| Uncertain timescales to get to Planning Determination | 66.67% |
| S106 Affordable Housing obligations/viablity | 58.97% |
| Local Plan delays | 33.33% |
| The UK’s economic outlook | 17.95% |
| Nutrient neutrality | 7.69% |
| Biodiversity net gain | 7.69% |
| Neighbourhood Plans | 2.56% |
Full survey results here.
The question that should be asked is what do “consumers” or “purchasers” want from house builders? How about properties that are properly built without being riddled with defects. Guarantees/warranties that are not worth the digital paper they are printed on and/or snagging periods being dragged out to the point where developers don’t come back and fix their properties. We are in the midst of a building safety crisis. Why not sort that out first so that existing properties can be bought and sold? Still so many stuck in properties recently built that cannot be sold due to building safety act.
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