In a widely expected move, Labour has won the general election with a majority of 412 seats, a jump of 218 seats since 2019.
The election result ends 14 years of Conservative rule, with the party losing 249 seats to 120 seats. Off the back of Labour’s historic win, Mortgage Solutions has revisited the manifesto to look at what their plans are around housing.
(The seat figures were correct as of 10:22am)
- Build one-and-a-half million homes over the next Parliament.
- Giving first-time buyers “first chance” to buy homes”.
- A “permanent, comprehensive” Mortgage Guarantee scheme to help first-time buyers.
- Update the National Policy Planning Framework to “undo damaging Conservative changes”. This includes restoring mandatory housing targets.
- Ensuring planning authorities have “up-to-date” Local Plans and reform the process to favour sustainable development.
- Support local authorities by funding additional planning officers, backed by upping the rate of stamp duty charged to non-residents.
- Use intervention powers when needed to build houses.
- Take a “brownfield-first approach” to prioritise developing previously used land and offer “fast-track approval” of urban brownfield sites.
- A “strategic approach” to the greenbelt land designation and release to “build more homes in the right places”. This involves releasing lower-quality “grey belt” land and introducing “golden rules” to ensure developments benefit communities and nature.
- Build a “new generation” of new towns.
- Bringing in “effective new mechanisms” for “cross-boundary strategic planning” so all Combined and Mayoral Authorities will have to strategically plan for housing growth and Combined Authorities will have more planning powers.
- Reform compulsory purchase compensation rules.
- Deliver more social and affordable homes by strengthening housebuilding, making changes to the Affordable Homes programme.
- Prioritise building new social rented homes and review Right to Buy discounts and increase protections for newly built social housing.
When the manifesto was announced, the measures for housing were welcomed by the mortgage and property sector, as long as Keir Starmer keeps his promises.
What do you think of these pledges? Let us know in the comments below – we would love to hear from you.
Anna is currently the deputy editor for Mortgage Solutions and editor for Specialist Lending Solutions. She has worked as a journalist since 2019, having secured her Gold Standard NCTJ diploma from News Associates in a fast-track six-month course.
She started her career as a report at specialist publication The Insurance Insider covering a wide range of areas before joining Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions in 2021.
In her role, she helps put together and structure the news agenda for the day and writes up press releases, reports, interviews, analyses and exclusives across both titles. She also commissions blogs for Specialist Lending Solutions and hosts online masterclasses and in-person events across the business.
She has been shortlisted for three journalism awards, which include BIBA Journalist and Media Awards Scoop of Year Award in 2020, Headline Money Mortgage Journalist of the Year Award (B2B) in 2022 and 2023.
Prior to being a journalist, Anna worked in ecommerce across Snow + Rock, Cycle Surgery and Runners Need websites, and before that worked at specialist financial PR firm Rostrum.
In her spare time, Anna enjoys reading, seeing live music, and cooking for friends and family. When she gets a chance, she also enjoys hiking, skiing and indoor rock climbing.
