Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Property Industry Eye. Read the original article for full details.

Andy Burnham Proposes Major Council Housebuilding Programme

Andy Burnham has announced plans for what he described as the biggest council housebuilding programme since the post-war period. The proposals were outlined in his first major speech since declaring his intention to become the next prime minister.

Burnham’s speech in Manchester included a pledge to make the delivery of new council homes a central part of his programme if he enters Downing Street. He also unveiled plans for a “No 10 North” operation based in Manchester, which he said would help shift decision-making away from Westminster and towards regions including the Midlands, the North, the South West, and the East of England.

Housing was a key focus of Burnham’s address. He stated that Britain has lost almost 1.5 million council homes since the 1980s, with a similar number of people currently on housing waiting lists. Burnham said that the proposed housebuilding programme would work with local areas and be overseen by No 10 North, aiming to reduce development costs by using vacant public land and prioritising higher-density housing in towns and urban centres across the UK.

Burnham also indicated that No 10 North would focus on regeneration, reindustrialisation, and reform of essential public utilities as part of a broader effort to rebalance economic growth across the country.

Sarah Elliott, chief executive of Shelter, commented that Burnham’s council housebuilding plans could “utterly transform” Britain. She emphasised the importance of delivering a new generation of social rent homes and strengthening councils’ ability to build.

Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist at BCIS, noted that Burnham’s commitment to a major council housebuilding programme was a clear proposal for the construction industry. He pointed out that the government is already working towards a target of delivering 1.5 million new homes during the current Parliament, but recent figures show England is behind the pace required to meet this goal. Crosthwaite also observed that Burnham’s speech did not specify who would build the homes, how they would be funded, or how delivery rates would be increased.

These proposals are of particular interest to UK letting agents and inventory clerks, as a significant increase in council housebuilding could impact the rental market, housing supply, and property management practices across the country.