New study adds pressure on government to deliver genuinely affordable homes

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published the findings of a year long study into housebuilding and the planning system.

The report lays bare the challenges being faced in terms of housing delivery, and recommends a host of actions from streamlining the planning system to improve build out rates, to placing a greater emphasis on quality homes.

Planning ‘needs to change’

Commenting on the report’s findings, Paul Miner, head of campaigns and policy at CPRE, said:

‘The CMA report confirms that our planning system needs to change, and its recommendations reflect many of our recent findings. Our Housing Design Audit in 2019 revealed a worrying trend of poor quality homes in rural areas that should never have been built. Rules need to be in place to ensure that housebuilding doesn’t become a profit-driven race to the bottom.

‘Further, our recent Affordable Housing report emphasis the urgent need for a rapid increase of genuinely affordable homes to tackle obscenely long waiting lists and help revitalise rural areas.

‘We also share the report’s recommendation of placing a greater emphasis on Local Plans. Plan-led development is crucial in ensuring that homes are delivered in the right places, in-line with local need, with local democracy at its core.

‘We hope that the next government implements the report’s findings if we’re to get the sustainable, affordable homes that people need.’

Read the full report

A planning system for people and planet

As we look ahead to an era-defining election, our 2024 election manifesto calls for a planning system that truly works for the countryside, nature and climate. We’re urging the next government to strengthen national planning policy to give a stronger voice to local people, with a fundamental emphasis on local plan-led development which provides community-led homes, infrastructure and green spaces.