Summary of article from Housebuilding Magazine September 2025:
The Steps to Restoring Momentum
Neil Jefferson, CEO of the Home Builders Federation (HBF), argues that the UK government must act decisively this autumn to revive housing delivery and achieve its goal of 1.5 million new homes. Despite planning reforms, barriers remain, and output is falling. He highlights three urgent areas:
1. Budget & First-Time Buyers
- With Help to Buy gone and high interest rates, only the top 30% of earners can access the housing ladder.
- HBF proposes a new equity loan scheme to support buyers with small deposits, potentially unlocking 100,000 homes over five years and boosting builder confidence.
2. Section 106 Affordable Housing Backlog
- Around 8,500 affordable homes under construction lack registered provider (RP) buyers, with more at risk.
- HBF calls for short-term fixes: cascade mechanisms in Section 106 agreements and temporary Homes England grant funding to unlock stalled developments.
3. Avoiding Harmful Policies
- Proposals such as a single higher landfill tax (which could rise 3,000% on some sites), the Building Safety Levy, and stricter build-out penalties risk undermining viability and deterring investment.
- HBF urges ministers to reconsider these to avoid stalling momentum further.
Conclusion
Targeted buyer support, tackling the Section 106 backlog, and scrapping counterproductive policies could restore industry confidence and help unlock delivery. Combined with planning reforms, these steps would give the housing sector certainty to invest and build the homes the UK needs.
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