Birmingham to Become Key Focus of New Housebuilding Outside of London

The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has set out new measures to achieve the Government’s target of building 300,000 new homes every year. The new housing plan, announced on 16th December 2020, seeks to ‘level’ up England’s cities. It proposes targeting 35% increases in housebuilding in England’s 20 largest cities and urban centres, which will be asked to build an extra 100,000 new homes in the next five years. Jenrick has said that, after Covid’s economic impact, there was an “opportunity to repurpose more commercial centres, offices and retail spaces into housing”.

Outside of London, Birmingham is set to see the biggest increase in proposed building, with more than 1,200 additional new homes now expected on top of existing demand for 3,577 per year.

The change in policy follows previous proposals to increase house building country-wide, including in rural areas, which were resisted by local councillors and backbenchers.

We will be following developments as they unfold.