The built environment industry welcomed the new Labour government’s ambitious legislative agenda unveiled in the King’s Speech today in parliament, but many senior figures expressed disappointment at the failure to mention business rates reform.
In the speech, King Charles III said that securing economic growth would be the Labour government’s “fundamental mission” and that it would seek a “new partnership with both business and working people and help the country move on from the recent cost of living challenges by prioritising wealth creation for all communities”.
Many of the proposals outlined in the speech had already been trailed by the new government, which has pledged to “get Britain building” by reforming the planning system to accelerate the delivery of infrastructure and housing. The king reaffirmed Labour’s commitment to delivering 1.5m homes and referenced the reintroduction of mandatory housing targets.
Devolution also featured high on the agenda, with the government set to introduce an English Devolution Bill and give more powers to metro mayors and combined authorities.
The government confirmed legislation would be introduced to give “greater rights and protections” to people renting their homes, including ending no fault evictions and reforming grounds for possession. Draft legislation will also be published on leasehold and commonhold reform. It also said it would introduce a Skills England bill to address the nation’s growing skills crisis.
However, the speech made no reference to business rates reform, an omission that was strongly criticised by senior figures in the industry, who described the current system as “not fit for purpose”.
Industry response to the King’s Speech
Tina Paillet
President, RICS
“It’s welcome that planning reforms sat at the heart of the 35 draft bills read out by King Charles today. Both housing and infrastructure are huge economic enablers; numerous studies have identified the positive correlation between GDP growth and infrastructure delivery. Today’s King’s Speech is yet another step in the right direction from Labour policymakers, who have pledged to ‘take the brakes off Britain’ by introducing an ambitious legislative agenda which will get the UK building again, improve living standards, and help deliver the infrastructure to power a net-zero economy. The actions across these will need to be linked to ensure success, and as RICS professionals work across all these agendas, they will collectively provide expertise needed to progress these missions.”
Dominic Curran
Head of communications, British Property Federation
“It’s very encouraging to see Labour’s continued focus on the built environment and the role it has to play in raising productivity levels and delivering economic growth. Reforming, resourcing and accelerating the planning process is an essential prerequisite to boosting housing delivery. However, planning for homes must always take account of employment and wider infrastructure needs for new communities, such as logistics provision and ensuring enough grid capacity for new developments. The property industry is a huge contributor to UK plc, accounting for 7% of GVA and one in 13 jobs. We want to work with the bovernment to build new homes, regenerate town centres and green the economy, and the bills announced today are a good start to the new administration’s approach.”
John Merry
Chair of Key Cities and deputy mayor of Salford City Council
“Local government leaders are looking forward to the King’s Speech as we are highly encouraged by the proposed ‘take back control’ bill that is due to give mayors and councils more powers to deliver on energy, transport, skills and planning locally. We also support the reinstatement of housebuilding targets to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years which is crucial for the growth of our communities. The missing ingredient is net zero, which is fast becoming the biggest systematic challenge faced by local government. It is crucial that those at the frontline in addressing the issues at hand can appropriately shape our communities’ net zero future.”
Honor Barratt
CEO, Birchgrove
“Labour’s plan to increase the annual supply of new homes is commendable, but we can be making far more effective use of homes already built. Two thirds of over-65s have at least two empty spare bedrooms in their home, which equates to nine million empty bedrooms every night. Meanwhile, we have 300,000 people who are technically homeless – either sofa surfing or on the streets. Investing specifically in senior living housing will help more over-65s downsize, thereby freeing up millions of bedrooms and reducing the need to develop on greenbelt land. We already have enough homes between us; there is just a massive imbalance in how we live in them.”
Kate Pix
Regeneration director, Kajima
“When successful, new towns have the potential to become economic powerhouses where companies invest, talent flocks and local economies boom. Promisingly under Labour’s plan, 40% of homes built will be affordable, allowing for myriad benefits to be experienced by socially mixed communities. But if a rush to build new houses means that the next wave of new towns is likely to become soulless areas of residential development, the new government would be better directing policy and funds towards the regeneration of existing town and city centres. If we can adopt a comprehensive, national approach that chooses the right places to develop, we can create a society that provides opportunities, delivers affordable new homes, and encourages local economies to thrive – resulting in a high quality of life for the future of Britain.”
Nick Fenton
CEO, Locate in Kent
“We welcome the government’s drive to put growth at the heart of its legislative agenda to turbo charge the UK economy. The UK economy needs to be freed up to encourage investment in regions like Kent and Medway – and sectors, including science research and green energy – that will help our producers, makers and innovators to compete in key markets worldwide. We welcome the promise of planning reform and the launch of a National Wealth Fund to unlock private investment for growth sectors, such as green energy, where the Kent and Medway region is already establishing itself as a key UK location.”
Paul Rickard
Managing director, Pocket Living
“Taking the brakes off alone will not be enough without an effective engine. In order to deliver this welcome and ambitious agenda we not only need planning reform and measures to get the builders building again, including encouraging new entrants to the housebuilding sector, especially amongst our depleted ranks of SME developers who have dwindled over the last 30 years. We also need to see a transformational change in how the government releases public sector land, invests in measures to unlock difficult brownfield sites, and promotes new forms of public/private partnership models.”
Tim Balcon
Chief executive, Construction Industry Training Board
“The new Labour government has already demonstrated that housebuilding is a top priority for its mission to deliver economic growth, and this position has been reaffirmed in the King’s Speech. Key to achieving the government’s housebuilding targets is to get the right skills policies in place. It is essential that the new Growth and Skills Levy drive up construction apprenticeship numbers that have declined under the Apprenticeship Levy. We simply do not have enough workers in the construction industry right now – in 2023 there was a net loss of 10,000 construction workers. Our research shows that under Labour’s housebuilding plans, up to an additional 152,000 workers will need to be found.”
Olivia Harris
Chief executive, Dolphin Living
“Naturally, we broadly welcome the measures announced today in the King’s Speech to get Britian building again. Especially the commitment to building more homes of all tenures through reform of the planning process and increased land supply. However, it is vital that the new government does not see the delivery of housing in isolation, but as integral to its overall plan to raise productivity and economic growth through the provision of more homes to support workers on modest incomes in high value areas. In addition to meeting overall housing targets and delivering much needed social housing, local authorities should be given a duty to have regards to the wider needs of the community, both those relying on essential services and those working to deliver them.”
John Webber
Head of business rates, Colliers
“We are very disappointed that there has been no mention of business rates reform in the King’s Speech today since this indicates this is not a priority for the new government and goes against its pledge to abolish the tax and support the high street. After more than 30 years of mismanagement from successive governments, we now have a system with a multiplier at over 50p in the pound, which effectively means a 50% tax on property occupation, a complicated relief system with business rates deserts in some parts of the country and an appeal system that’s inefficient, lacking transparency and increasingly difficult for businesses to negotiate without an adviser. The current system is just not fit for purpose. This situation is unsustainable.”
Claire Fallows
Partner, Charles Russell Speechlys
“Labour’s pledge to tackle the UK’s planning issues is positive. The commitment to delivering new homes and support for energy and infrastructure projects is welcome, as is the call for local planning authorities to review green belt boundaries to release sensible sites for development. However, a change in mindset across the country, driven by strong central action, is needed. Balanced planning reform is welcome, but better funding and resourcing throughout the planning system are crucial. The commitment to appointing more planning officers is welcomed if roles can be filled. Investment in statutory authorities and the appeal system is necessary for timely decisions. Mechanisms to enable registered providers to fund more affordable housing must be part of the solution to the UK’s housing crisis.”
Dave Dargan
CEO and co-founder, Starship
“It was promising to see the emphasis on new homes and overhauling the planning restrictions dominate the King’s Speech. As part of its pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes, the new government also unveiled its ambitious plans to reform planning regulations, eliminate obstacles and streamline the entire process. I eagerly await to see what developments happen in the coming months, as I am excited by the prospect of the outdated planning system being overhauled. This reform could significantly reduce the red tape and bureaucracy that often delays projects.”
Thomas Vandecasteele
Managing director, Legendre UK
“Labour’s ambitions to ‘get Britain building’ through loosening planning rules is a positive move towards strengthening the pipeline of new homes, but this is no mean feat and only one piece of the puzzle. All bottle necks in the value chain need to be addressed to meet the drastic increase in homes required. The next obvious focus is supply chains which have been hit by multiple challenges over the last few years – Brexit, insolvency, lack of skills and poor productivity. There isn’t an easy solution, and the government needs to instil considered policies, fulfilling its promise today to invest in the industry, skills and new technologies. Without addressing these issues, we could see higher construction costs and homes becoming more unaffordable.”
Sean Keyes
CEO, Sutcliffe
“I was delighted to see that the King’s Speech outlined the new Labour government’s strategy to achieve its target of building 1.5m houses. Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ plans to overhaul the planning system and reintroduce mandatory housing targets promise to significantly bolster the nation’s capacity to build more high-quality homes and transform living standards for hundreds of thousands of people, ensuring that everyone has access to good, quality housing as a fundamental standard.”
Josie Parsons
Chief executive, Local Space
“Given of the scale of the challenge we collectively face in tackling homelessness we are pleased that the new government is bringing back with urgency proposals to abolish section 21 no fault evictions for tenants and introduce measures to boost housebuilding and the delivery of social rented homes. Both of these are long overdue and given the numbers of people now in temporary accommodation or at risk of homelessness, we would urge all parliamentarians to support these proposals and ensure they are passed at the earliest opportunity.”
James Dunne
Head of operational real estate, abrdn
“Given the government’s welcome commitment to planning reform – a key part of solving the UK’s housing crisis – it was disappointing to hear that the subject got about as much airtime in the King’s Speech as the announcement of an independent football regulator. The system is currently understaffed, under-motivated and under-funded, so we are going to need much more detail on how the new housing minister plans to solve the practical as well as the significant policy issues.”
Terry Woodley
MD of development finance, Shawbrook
“The UK has been in urgent need of solutions to address the housing shortages, and it’s good to see this high on the new government’s agenda. Challenges surrounding a lack of support for first time buyers as well as a failure to ease stringent planning restrictions have led to waning activity levels, and subsequently have caused developers to call on the government to deliver supporting legislation, so it’s encouraging that the newly announced Planning and Infrastructure Bill will seek to accelerate the delivery of high quality infrastructure and housing.”
Cris McGuinness
Chief financial officer, Riverside
“It is heartening to see the new housing and planning bill at the centre of the new government’s first King’s Speech as it sets the tone that solving the housing crisis will be a national priority over the lifetime of this Parliament – something we have not seen for decades. Abolishing section 21 evictions will help prevent thousands of households a year from becoming homeless with official data showing no fault evictions resulted in a record 25,910 households being threatened with homelessness in 2023.”
Nicola Gooch
Planning partner, Irwin Mitchell
“The chancellor’s first speech in office stated that planning and development was at the heart of this government’s growth agenda. Today’s Kings Speech confirmed that position. Planning reform was placed very high on the agenda. In fact, it was second, immediately after a section on the importance of economic growth. Despite the high-profile position of planning reform in the speech, it was relatively light on planning related legislation. However, if speed is the goal, then it makes sense to avoid too much primary legislation, which can easily get bogged down in parliament and focus instead on the levers that are easier to pull – namely policy changes, such as the revised NPPF and secondary legislation.”
Andy Hulme
Chief executive, The Hyde Group
“It’s welcome to see the government prioritising the need to get housebuilding going again in this King’s Speech. This is particularly important because the supply of new social housing has fallen well below where it needs to be, with an average drop of more than 80% in the supply of new social housing every year. We need a step-change in delivery to address the steep fall in social housing supply. The positive attitude of the prime minister, chancellor, and housing secretary towards delivering much-needed affordable homes gives us more confidence this will be delivered.”
Hannah Quarterman
Partner, Hogan Lovells
“The promise of yet more planning reform will elicit conflicting feelings in many. The regime is certainly far from perfect, and there are many elements which could stand to be improved, but one of the greatest challenges the industry has faced in recent times has been instability and unpredictability. Great emphasis was placed on stability in the King’s Speech, and it would be great to see planning benefiting from such stability as soon as possible.”
Richard Huteson
Partner in the planning team at Rapleys
“The new Labour government declared via today’s Kings Speech a focus on renewable energy with a drive for self-sufficiency in the UK and an immediate u-turn on onshore wind farms. However, the substance behind these is missing and we fear that a comprehensive strategy that covers energy and the infrastructure supporting it has not yet been put together. The grid is at capacity, it cannot take any more electricity and its infrastructure is unable to cope with distributing it either. We can generate electricity via renewable sources but unless it can be distributed, it will have nowhere to go. New housing developments are finding themselves delayed thanks to lack of connectivity as it is, and Labour are planning 1.5 million more homes over the next parliament. The UK will simply not be able to cope with the infrastructure as it is today.”
Chris Taylor
Head of real estate at Federated Hermes and chairman of MEPC
“We welcome the government’s commitment to adopt a more holistic approach to tackling chronic housing shortages. Delivering new sustainable communities will require long term strategic planning, with infrastructure provision key to ensuring both environmental and societal outcomes are met. The build-to-rent sector will play a vital role in delivering accessible housing for all by meeting demographic lifestyle changes and addressing affordability issues. However, long term, institutional capital still needs to be attracted to this dynamic sector. It will be important not to repeat the mistakes made in cities such as New York and Berlin where investors have been deterred by recent changes in taxation.”
Simon Green
Head of business rates, Gerald Eve
“A key promise in the Labour manifesto was the replacement of the business rates system. The new government has made an impressive start in terms of its immediate focus on planning reform, where it has demonstrated an understanding of the key issues and how making significant changes quickly has the potential to unlock significant economic growth. While there was nothing around business rates in the King’s Speech, we are hopeful that a similarly speedy and proactive approach will be taken to reform this system. Too many businesses in this country are shackled by business rates, which are amongst the highest of comparable property taxes in the Western world.”
Stephen Teagle
CEO of partnerships and regeneration, Vistry
“We support and share the government’s ambitions to build more new homes and create vibrant communities. The measures announced today will help lay the foundations needed for long term housing delivery beyond this term of government. We build new homes that contribute to and create successful, thriving communities – often regenerating and improving their area. We develop places responsibly by building sustainably, improving local biodiversity and providing the infrastructure – such as new schools and community facilities – that make our communities great places to live.”
Tom Lloyd-Jones
Chief investment officer, Zenzic Capital
“It is positive that planning featured prominently in today’s King’s Speech. It seems local government planning committees will still be the arbiters of decisions but the modernisation of these is contemplated. It will be interesting to see whether this will include the introduction of external appointments, such as those with real estate or planning specialisms, to supplement the existing knowledge base and make decision making quicker and better informed, while delivering the increased capacity the government has outlined as a key driver of growth.”
Alistair Watson
UK head of planning and environment, Taylor Wessing
“Brakes off – and foot to the floor. That’s the government’s clear, present, and full-blooded message on the need for planning reform, and its intent in the delivery of planning reform. Across the real estate sector, we have all said for a long, long time that we are prepared to invest and develop if a government commits to encourage our sector positively and embraces planning reform.”
Ian Barnett
National land director, Leaders Roman Group
“Local authorities have been under resourced for some time which, coupled with an ambiguous and often contradictory planning system has stifled development and growth. The King’s Speech suggests a new direction which is welcome.”
Angus Walker
Partner, BDB Pitmans
“The government has promised to simplify the consenting process for major infrastructure projects and enable relevant, new and improved National Policy Statements to come forward. It has also promised to establish a review process that provides the opportunity for these to be updated every five years, giving increased certainty to developers and communities. Streamlining the delivery process for critical infrastructure including accelerating upgrades to the national grid and boosting renewable energy is to be welcomed. It will benefit local communities, unlock delivery of the 2030 clean power mission and net zero obligations, whilst securing domestic energy security.”
Simon Peacock
Head of regions, JLL
“Changes to the planning system will be the lifeblood of the economic growth the Labour government is targeting, but also crucial to addressing health and wellbeing inequalities the country faces because of housing shortages. That it has been outlined as a priority in this morning’s speech will be welcomed by the property industry and those supporting people in need of housing. Now the impetus is on action. Plans for a new council of the nations and regions and to make a success of the much-mooted industrial strategy will depend on a watertight masterplan for the planning system. This will need to set out commitments to investing in the number, and quality, of planners to support decision making, developing a stricter rules-based approach for applications and clear alignment on the priorities for land use.”
Carolin Göhler FLI
President, Landscape Institute
“The Landscape Institute supports the government’s emphasis on growth and welcomes its proposals to reform the planning system, provided that all new development is well-designed, constructed and managed to ensure its sustainability and fitness for future generations to enjoy. In meeting challenging targets for both housing and infrastructure, we should be taking a long-term view of costs and consequences, and ensure that the wider environment is properly valued. Taking a landscape-led approach to both plans and projects can help enable opportunities, avoid unexpected adversities, and provide better value solutions.”’
Matthew Evans
Counsel in the planning team at Forsters
“The proposal to improve local decision making by modernising planning committees is intriguing. Delegating more decisions to officers is an obvious option. Even better if we can put planning committees on a more professional footing. It is spinning the wheel of fortune with committee members that leads to the most unpredictability at present. The government has signalled that it wishes to push forward with an upgrade in capacity and professionalism in the planning system across the board.”
Mike Randall
CEO, Simply Asset Finance
“The government has been very clear on its promise to take the brakes off the economy, but it can only succeed in doing so by working hand in hand with SMEs. The UK’s wealth generators will have been watching the King’s speech eagerly to see whether the government’s election promises would materialise. The focus on “getting Britain building” through planning reform suggests potential opportunities in construction and infrastructure projects for smaller businesses. Moreover, at a time where there is much disparity with performance across the country, the Devolution Bill could potentially support local growth plans that directly benefit local businesses and communities. But, we will have to wait for September’s fiscal event to see if the promised reforms to the business tax regime come to pass. Then, we will have more confidence if the foundations for further growth are in place.”
Jessica Bowles
Director of strategic partnerships and impact at Bruntwood and Bruntwood SciTech
“It has been great to see the new government acting decisively and at speed since their election. The King’s Speech is clearly an ambitious programme and I am particularly pleased to see legislation proposed for further devolution, much needed changes to improve our railways and planning reform, which have been holding back the growth potential of the UK for too long. It is crucial that this pace and ambition is now matched with execution, but this is also where the greatest challenge lies. Ministers, government departments and local leaders must be fully aligned and prepared to think differently to ensure that we can deliver on these objectives over the coming weeks, months and years – ambition now needs to be matched with action.”
Fred Lerche-Lerchenborg
CEO, Lavanda
“Labour’s plans will come as music to the ears of many in the property industry, but Sir Keir will need to muster the same resolve as Clement Attlee’s government to deliver on his promise of 1.5 million new homes this parliament. As it has been with countless previous pledges by various governments to reform Britain’s antiquated planning system, the devil will ultimately be in the detail. Labour’s commitment to building more homes is a positive step, but it is long overdue and purely aspirational without a concrete bottom-up plan for delivery, meaning it currently lacks credibility.”
Ryan Etchells
Chief commercial officer, Together
“The government’s pledge to unblock planning restrictions for the housebuilding sector is very welcome, but we need to see real action. The success of this policy rests on utilising the UK’s ‘grey belt’ although, as of yet, we don’t have a definition of what, where or how much of this exists. Our own research has shown that at least 19% of the UK’s property professionals want more support with brownfield development, and so Labour’s focus on these sites, and those like them, should see more spades in the ground – further boosting supply and activity across the property industry.”
Earle Arney
Founder and CEO, AFK
“It’s encouraging to see planning reform highlighted in the King’s Speech and the chancellor’s recent address, showing the government’s intent to drive growth through construction. However, reinstating housing targets to build 1.5 million homes in five years requires not just ambition and ‘cookbooks’ for picturesque towns, but a holistic approach coupled with a detailed plan that both develops new local communities and intensifies existing urban and sub-urban areas.”
Greg Reed
Chief executive, Places for People
“Plans announced today will help unlock land, speed up the planning process and turbocharge housebuilding. But we need to see this in action. To really drive delivery of the right homes, in the right places, supported by the right infrastructure, local planning authorities need to provide their own local plans and only 22% of them have adopted one in the last five years. With hopes of interest rates being further cut next month fading, there’s no time to wait. The time to build is now.”
Kirsty Corkum
Partner, Fladgate
“The government’s proposed measure to limit local residents’ ability to block new housing development is in line with the stated policy of a ‘presumption in favour of development’ but it exposes the tension between the government’s promotion of devolution and local democracy, and nationally imposed development targets. The government will rely on the application of detailed planning policies to avoid a development free-for-all, but to achieve this and the construction of 1.5 million homes in the life of this parliament will require a major commitment to local planning resource. Three hundred additional planning officers is a start, but developers also complain of having to contend with inexperienced planning staff and a high turnover of experienced staff.”
Ifath Nawaz
Senior consultant solicitor planning, Setfords
“While we welcome the proposed improvements to the planning system, which has been neglected for many years, there are real concerns that without significant new resources to support local authorities, the ambitious housebuilding targets in the King’s Speech cannot be delivered. Local authorities are already struggling to attract the expertise needed in their planning departments to handle the current workload, let alone an anticipated increase in new housing developments.”
Richard Robinson
UK & Ireland president, AtkinsRéalis
“We welcome the government’s ambition to accelerate housebuilding and infrastructure delivery, crucial for unlocking economic growth in communities across the UK. To deliver its ambitions, the government must swiftly transition from ambition to action. The proposed Planning and Infrastructure Bill must speed up the journey from project inception to delivery, streamline the planning system, adopt holistic development strategies, and foster closer collaboration between the public and private sectors to secure investment and ensure that the benefits of infrastructure development are felt across the country.”
Mark White
Managing director, Bargate Homes
“Following today’s state opening of Parliament and the King’s Speech, the SME housebuilding community is ready and waiting for more detail and action, as there is so much to do to reverse the damage done by Michael Gove. We expect changes to the NPPF to be tabled later this month, but the implementation must then be fast-tracked. The “get Britain building” mantra was in the King’s Speech, which is so encouraging, but we all need to know how and when. Housing is so critical to the health of the economy and we cannot wait until the end of this five-year Parliament term to see new government policies enacted at a local level.
Jonathan Wish
Partner in residential development land, Knight Frank
“The government’s renewed focus on planning reform to accelerate high-quality infrastructure and housing delivery is a welcome step. Reinstating targets could be particularly beneficial, providing clear benchmarks for the industry. In fact, the reintroduction of these targets would likely have a positive impact. These targets are crucial for the wider industry, with numerous positive ripple effects. Additionally, it would be beneficial if planning committees became less influenced by local politics. This shift could reduce the frequency of developers resorting to appeals when five-year housing targets aren’t met, ultimately saving public funds and expediting delivery by eliminating an unnecessary layer of planning.”
Andrew Bulmer
Chief executive, The Property Institute
“Many of the announced reforms were anticipated, including forthcoming bills on energy and transport, and a renters’ rights bill incorporating the abolition of section 21. These were widely trailed in advance. It was less certain whether the government would prioritise leasehold and commonhold reform amid an already crowded agenda, but it is encouraging to see the proposals for this particular bill. This new legislation will go further, introducing greater powers for residents to take control, an end to the sale of leasehold flats, controls on forfeiture, and regulation of ground rents. We await the details on the ministers’ intentions regarding these reforms, but there is a clear opportunity for such tenure reform to introduce practical and proportionate regulation for our sector and improving transparency and upfront information for leaseholders.
Guy Gittins
CEO, Foxtons
“It’s promising to see that our new Labour government has positioned planning reform and housing supply at the forefront of its intentions for the property market. The setting of new delivery targets, coupled with a more streamlined planning process, should help to provide the structure required to increase the supply of new homes reaching the market. Of course, these initiatives are all well and good but it’s housebuilders that deliver new homes, not the government itself. So it will be interesting to see how the government intends to incentivise housebuilders to increase their stock delivery.”
Lawrence Turner
Director, Boyer
“The increased focus on devolution to metro mayors and combined authorities is seen as a positive step towards a return to much needed sub-regional planning. This will allow for the strategic planning of housing and infrastructure needs across entire housing market areas, rather than planning on a much narrower local authority basis. As always, the effectiveness of this approach will be reliant on the willingness of local authorities to put local politics aside and work collaboratively with combined authorities to deliver housing growth. Overall, the focus on accelerating housebuilding, improving infrastructure, and giving greater powers to local leaders is supported and is crucial for driving economic growth and building much needed homes. While more details and clarification are needed on the implementation of these bills and their relationship with the NPPF, we are hopeful that they will pave the way for a more efficient and effective planning system that meets the housing needs of the country.
Beverley Kennard
Head of lettings operations, Knight Frank
“The King’s Speech outlined how new legislation will give greater rights and protections to renters, including the end of section 21 and reforming the grounds for possession. Ultimately, the Renter’s (Reform) Bill has been given a new name, along with some other changes. We are keen to know more and await the publication of the draft bill. For now, what’s important is that any legislation must give landlords the confidence to continue to provide the much needed stock to the private rented sector, whilst ensuring the time for implementation gives landlords and agents the opportunity to prepare for these changes.
Rick de Blaby
Chief executive, Get Living
“Housing policy can often forget the country’s 12 million renters, many of whom deserve a far better rental experience than they’ve experienced, and so we’re supportive of the new Labour government’s plans to bring a Renters’ Rights Bill straight back to the table, taking immediate steps to raise standards within this part of the market. Labour is showing all the right signs of being a progressive, ambitious and forward-thinking government, with a clear focus on housing. With rent caps now having been ruled out by chancellor Rachel Reeves, it is clear that the party understands the importance of attracting private capital into the rental sector, which is crucial if we’re going to address the chronic undersupply of good quality homes in the UK. Striking a balance between protecting renters and maintaining an appealing market for investment to increase supply is no simple feat, but it is achievable. We would caution against any quick fixes that have the potential to give rise to unintended consequences for a sector that so many people rely upon. The priority must be to create a well-functioning rental market that is fit for the future.”
Steve McGregor
Group MD, DMA Group
“As a company focused on supporting buildings in their low carbon and energy efficient transitions, I am pleased to see Labour’s clear commitment to net zero and focus on growth in the construction sector. Training and apprenticeships are areas DMA is a champion of, and I look forward to seeing what Skills England and renewed apprenticeship levy look like. Going forward, I would like to see greater incentives and reduction of red tape for SMEs, which account for half of the turnover in the private sector. Hopefully, Sir Keir’s description of ‘taking the brakes off Britain’ will include this kind of reform.”
Matthew Chamberlain
Director, Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt
“We’ve seen a broad series of measures from the speech that together stand a fair chance of tackling many of the challenges facing the country. There’s a maturity and consistency in the King’s Speech that shows vision and intention. With the right detail there’s a great deal of potential here for our new government to provide a framework to build upon. The inclusion of a National Wealth Fund is a smart move, to bring about both investment in sustainable initiatives and also demonstrating nationally and globally a Labour party that is committed to supporting the power of UK businesses.”
Dr Ana McMillin
Director of architecture, Broadway Malyan
“Whilst putting housing delivery front and centre of the government’s programme is welcome, more housebuilding shouldn’t be at the expense of addressing the climate and biodiversity crises. It is crucial that we foster greater ecological resilience and align housing design with biodiversity objectives. Demand for family housing – typically more land hungry than flatted development that is increasingly the response in urban areas – is growing, so it’s vital we look at innovative design solutions.”
Bilal Ahmed
Founder and executive chairman, Sama Investment Group
“The King’s Speech has brought potential good news for all of us who are involved with Shariah-compliant real estate development. Among the 40 government bills announced there are encouraging highlights and some challenges ahead. Although we know that new ministerial teams are still coming to grips with the full scope of their responsibilities, the King’s Speech signalled some important broad intentions, emphasising a desire to accelerate the delivery of high-quality infrastructure and housing through planning reforms. This is great news for developers, and those who can quickly prepare sites with planning consultants – swiftly transforming proposals into clear, actionable strategies – are poised to gain the most from these announcements.
Jennifer Glasgow
Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright
“The King did state that his ministers ‘will get Britain building, including through planning reform’ by means of a newPlanning and Infrastructure Bill. The press release accompanying the King’s speech explains that the bill will ‘speed up and streamline the planning process to build more homes of all tenures and accelerate the delivery of major infrastructure projects’. This is with a view to strengthening economic growth via planning reform. The King’s Speech also referred to the introduction of greater devolved decision-making powers via an English Devolution Bill. The intention being to give new powers to metro mayors and combined authorities. Regarding planning, it remains to be seen whether the bill will increase the speed at which planning permissions are granted. Certainly, as explained in the speech, the intention is that the new legislation will support local growth plans that bring economic benefit to communities. Additional planning reforms are expected to emerge and are expected imminently.”
