UK announces largest housebuilding drive since post-war era

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - The UK government on Thursday unveiled ambitious plans to build a new generation of towns across Britain, aiming to deliver the largest housebuilding program since the post-war era.

The government’s plan is underpinned by a commitment to tackling what it describes as “the worst housing crisis in living memory.”

More than 100 proposals have been submitted from across England, reflecting strong interest from local authorities and developers.

Each of the planned new towns will have the potential to deliver at least 10,000 homes, forming a crucial component of the administration’s broader effort to accelerate housebuilding.

"For so many families, homeownership is a distant dream. After a decade of decline in housebuilding, the impact is a disconnect between working hard and getting on," said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a statement.

"We’re urgently using all levers available to build the homes we need so more families can get on the housing ladder. We’re sweeping aside the blockers to get houses built and paving the way for the next generation of new towns," he added.

The new towns initiative feeds into the government’s broader target of delivering 1.5 million homes over the next five years in what is being billed as the most significant expansion of housing supply in a generation.

The plans also include a major boost to social and affordable housing provision, which has declined sharply over the past decade.