Sector renews housing pleas as Rishi Sunak calls general election

Housing has been rising up the political agenda as the crisis around supply shows no sign of abating. Earlier this month, housing secretary Michael Gove admitted “we have not been building enough homes”. 

Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation (NHF), made a plea for strategic thinking from whoever wins power. 

“The beginning of a new parliamentary term is the best time for bold action and long-term thinking, and our sector is ready to work with the whichever party is in power to build the affordable homes the country needs,” she said. 

Ms Henderson warned that without “urgent action” by the end of the next parliament, one in five households will be in “unaffordable homes” and six children in every school will be homeless.  

She added: “As we head toward the election, we will continue to call on all political parties to commit to a strategic and properly funded long-term plan for housing.”

In London, the G15 group of the capital’s largest housing associations echoed these comments.

Fiona Fletcher-Smith, chair of the G15 and chief executive of L&Q, pointed to the “housing emergency" in London.

She said: “We’re calling on all parties to prioritise housing in the upcoming general election, and urge whichever party forms the next government to provide the long-term planning and investment in affordable homes that the country desperately needs to tackle the housing crisis and ensure everyone has a safe, secure and affordable home from which to build their life.

“To tackle these problems, we simply need to build more homes.” 

Elsewhere, Tracy Harrison, chief executive of the Northern Housing Consortium said the election "offers a real opportunity to transform communities and lives across the North". 

She added: “In the run-up to the election, we’ll continue talking to the main parties about how we can work with an incoming government to unlock the availability of affordable, decent and energy-efficient homes in the North;  building stronger communities and kick-starting a green economy.”

Widespread calls have come for 90,000 new social rent homes to be built a year. A report from the NHF and Shelter, published in February, suggested this would boost the economy by £51bn over the next 30 years. 

Others said positive assurances for the sector from the next administration would be welcome. 

Jamie Ratcliff, chief communities and sustainability officer at 84,000-home landlord SNG, said: “Certainty of who will be governing the country will very welcome and whoever forms the next government must equally give certainty to the housing sector, supporting us to provide the good, affordable homes that are urgently needed.”

He added: “Housing is a critical issue for the electorate and voters will expect all parties to make serious pledges that treat it as critical national infrastructure in their manifestos.”

Adam Lawrence, chief executive of developer London Square, which is owned by Abu Dhabi-based Aldar Properties, said he also welcomed the “clarity” of an election date after being “in limbo for so long”.

He added: “It will be good for the housing sector and business generally. We need a new government now with a clear mandate to drive the UK forward.”