Housing Secretary Angela Rayner (main picture) admits the Government’s 1.5 million new homes target will only be “a dent” in the total number needed.

She told MPs that ministers wanted to “move to make housing supply the number one priority” to tackle a crisis.

Even if we achieve the 1.5 million target it is a dent in what we need to achieve as a whole country.”

“Even if we achieve the 1.5 million target it is a dent in what we need to achieve as a whole country to deliver the houses we desperately need,” she said.

The Government has pledged to deliver the total homes figure within five years, which means at least 300,000 need to be built each year.

Leasehold priority

Rayner also told the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee that leasehold reform was a priority.

She promised new legislation would be introduced this year, which would make commonhold “the default” form of lease tenure.

A new bill would deal with leasehold insurance and cladding remediation costs, she said.

Court backlogs

Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, says: “It is encouraging to hear that the UK Government intends to progress with leasehold reform, and that they are committed to making commonholding a default position for many.

“Propertymark welcomes Ms Rayner’s pledge to introduce the Planning and Infrastructure Bill in March and we look forward to working with them on meeting their ambitious target of constructing 1.5 million new homes.”

But he also said that the Government’s plan to scrap Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions to help tackle homelessness, must come with action to deal with court backlogs.

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