Mike Leonard, Visiting Professor of Manufacturing and the Built Environment and co-lead of BCU’s Centre for Future Homes, says the Government’s announcement provides welcome clarity on how the £39 billion of previously promised housing funding will be spent, but warns that a programme stretching to 2039 will do little to address the immediate pressures facing the housing market unless investment is brought forward.
He said the Government should use the investment to “Get Britain Building”, supporting UK manufacturers, smaller housebuilders and local economies at a time when weak demand is contributing to factory closures and job losses across the construction supply chain.
“The announcement brings some clarity to how £39 billion, which was already promised, will be spent and by when. But the build programme runs up to 2039. Every effort should be made to front-end this investment to address a here-and-now housing crisis, while also supporting manufacturers and skilled construction workers.”
Professor Leonard says public investment should prioritise UK-manufactured building materials and SME builders, helping turn housing investment into wider economic growth and employment.
He also warns that success should not simply be judged by the number of homes built.
“It is not all about number,” said Professor Leonard. “We must also focus on creating better places – well connected to transport and public services, and designed to meet the needs of a wide demographic, including single people, families and older people.”
That means delivering a healthy mix of housing types, including two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, bungalows and apartments, rather than focusing on a single model of development.
Professor Leonard says the investment could also help relieve pressure on the thousands of people currently living in temporary accommodation, provided the new homes are genuinely affordable, safe and well connected.
But he argues that new housing must also be designed for a changing climate, with homes built using non-combustible materials and designed to withstand overheating, flooding, wildfires and other extreme weather events.
“These homes must provide access to well-connected, comfortable, safe and affordable accommodation and help relieve the pressure on the many thousands of people living in temporary accommodation, which is often of a low quality,” he said.
Professor Leonard says the Government should put robust measurement and evaluation at the heart of the programme, rather than simply counting homes completed.
He recommends using sensors and data alongside interviews with residents to understand how new homes perform in real-world conditions and how people experience them.
The approach builds on research by Birmingham City University’s Centre for Future Homes, which is helping policymakers make evidence-based decisions on future housing policy and regulation for both new and existing homes.
“It is important that we measure the performance and impact of this investment,” he said. “Using sensors to collect data and insights from interviews with occupiers will help build the evidence base needed for future policy and regulation.”