Building Back Britain Commission publishes its first report, Levelling Up and the Housing Challenge

NHBC is pleased to be represented on the Building Back Britain Commission as its first report, Levelling Up and the Housing Challenge, is published today. The report shows that if levelling up is to succeed then the Government needs to rethink its housing strategy.

NHBC’s CEO, Steve Wood, is one of six Commissioners and a key contributor to the report. Along with Steve, the other Commissioners are:

• David Thomas, CEO, Barratt Developments
• Nigel Wilson, CEO, Legal and General
• Jason Millett, CEO, Mace
• Terrie Alafat, Chair, Riverside Group
• Rob Boughton, CEO, Thakeham

Key findings include:

• Over the next 20 years around 86,000 to 140,000 homes will be needed every year in the areas government defines as most in need of levelling up – a third of this will be ‘affordable housing’.
• This is around an additional 13,000 to 67,000 homes every year compared to the Government’s current estimates for those areas.
• Birmingham would require the largest increase in new homes. Currently, 4,829 homes a year have been earmarked under the standard way the government assesses need. This would rise to 12,430 homes a year under a scenario based on future growth. 

To ensure we get the right homes in the right places, the report recommends: 

• A new ‘levelling up’ housing strategy that has a more dynamic model of need shifts in different areas of the country.
• To tackle the skills shortage, create at least one construction cluster in every part of the UK by 2030. Leeds should be first. 
• New regional delivery targets to include 75,000 MMC homes by 2030.
• Greater tax incentives to encourage investment in carbon zero MMC factories. 
• All new-built homes to be operational net zero from 2030 while housebuilders and the wider industry accelerate plans to be carbon neutral in construction. 

Commenting on the report, Steve Wood said: