Keir Starmer: Planning regime ‘suffocating aspirations of working families’

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he will not “shy away” from tackling local objections to the government’s ambitious building proposals.

Writing in the Times, Starmer said the planning system had become “increasingly ruinous” and was “suffocating the aspirations of working families”.

He pointed out that average house prices are now more than eight time earnings, while the rate of home ownership among 19-29 year olds had more than halved since 1990.

“House prices have gone through the roof as home-building has gone through the floor,” he said, noting that the number of homes granted planning permission last year fell to its lowest level for a decade.

“For too long, the country has been held to ransom by the blockers and bureaucrats who have stopped the country building, choked off growth and driven prices through the roof.” 

In his speech yesterday launching the government’s ‘missions’ for government, Starmer reiterated the pledge to build 1.5m homes over the course of the parliament.

Many commentators have suggested that the government will struggle to meet this target, particularly as many housing projects face local objections.

“I always knew there would be resistance to our planning reform,” Starmer said.

“Let me say this — I won’t shy away from this argument. In fact, I welcome it. Where there are blockers putting the brakes on, it’s a sign you are delivering real change.”

The Prime Minister also committed to fast-tracking planning decisions on at least 150 major economic infrastructure projects over the parliament, which the government said would be more than the last 14 years combined.

“Every road, pylon and mast — which connect people with opportunity — must jump through endless hoops, only to be opposed, dragged out, before eventually, if lucky, approved.”

Planning reform is among the most significant aspects of the government’s growth agenda, but Chancellor Rachel Reeves also said it was the “most challenging pillar”.

Writing in the Financial Times, Reeves said the planning system is “too slow, lacks ambition and makes investing in this country incredibly difficult”

“We will seep aside planning laws that are holding back development, from housing to infrastructure and new businesses,” she said.