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Local Housing Need Assessment Reform
13 May 2025
Lead MP
John Milne
Horsham
LD
Responding Minister
Alex Norris
Tags
HousingEmployment
Word Count: 14051
Other Contributors: 13
At a Glance
John Milne raised concerns about local housing need assessment reform in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
John Milne asks the Government to reform the standard method to better reflect genuine local need and win public consent, focusing on the type of housing being permitted rather than just raw totals.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The current standard method for assessing local housing need has failed to provide clear, objectively determined house building targets and has contributed to making the affordability crisis worse. The method is based on a false premise that does not reflect real working conditions in constituencies like Horsham.
Reflected positively on a reform by Middlesbrough's local authority prioritising veterans for social housing.
St Ives
Andrew George agrees with John Milne's point that the standard method is based on a false premise and does not work as intended, as it fails to deliver affordable homes. Acknowledged the need for a needs assessment and criticized the current methodology used, suggesting targets should reduce housing need rather than just focusing on building more homes.
Chris Bloore
Lab
Redditch
Congratulated the hon. Member for Horsham on securing the debate and discussed the realism of housing targets.
Chris Vince
Lab/Co-op
Harlow
Discussed the challenges faced by Harlow in providing social housing and highlighted issues with rent increases and reliance on private sector renting.
Damian Hinds
Con
East Hampshire
Acknowledges the Government's initiative to increase housing completions but highlights discrepancies in rural versus urban areas. Calls for a review of the affordability ratio formula as it is not delivering sustainable increases in housing stock.
West Dorset
Described housing challenges in West Dorset, including the need for affordable homes and infrastructure to support development.
Chichester
Ms Brown-Fuller highlights that in her constituency of Chichester, the average house price is £454,000 and the average salary is under £30,000. She criticises the standard method for assessing housing need, which imposes arbitrary national targets on local authorities without considering specific needs or constraints.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Discussed the importance of water company involvement in planning and highlighted high house prices in his constituency, noting the need for social housing.
John Milne
Lab
Horsham
Called for changes to the standard method and Planning and Infrastructure Bill to better address national housing needs.
Kevin Hollinrake
Con
Thirsk and Malton
Asked whether the hon. Member for East Lothian was against incentives such as stamp duty discounts for first-time buyers, which helped around 640,000 young people get on to the housing ladder. Corrects the record by pointing out that during the previous Conservative government, there was an average of 207,000 net new home additions annually. The Government's two-tier housing targets are unfair and unrealistic. Rural areas face an average of a 71% increase in housing targets, while urban areas see only a 15.6% increase. This imbalance is exacerbated by the removal of protections against village mergers into towns and greenfield development. Called for a more balanced approach to housing targets, citing challenges such as building safety regulations, skills shortages, and SME participation.
Luke Myer
Lab
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Commended the Government on changing local connection rules for veterans accessing social housing.
Newton Abbot
Agreed with the hon. Member for East Lothian that incremental building contributes to problems with sewerage systems due to insufficient infrastructure provision in rural areas. Supported housing targets but emphasized the importance of community involvement in development decisions. Criticized previous Conservative Governments for failing to meet housing needs and called for a commitment to social house building targets.
The Minister for Towns
Debbie Abrahams
Defended the government's revised housing development method, stating it aligns with a target of 1.5 million new homes and is crucial for local planning.
Government Response
Alex Norris
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Government Response
Acknowledged the importance of addressing the acute housing crisis and committed to building more homes that are genuinely affordable in places where people want to live. Highlighted the need for a clear and transparent method for assessing local housing needs. Discussed the standard method for calculating housing targets, emphasizing its importance in guiding local plans and ensuring community input. Highlighted the need to consider affordability pressures, sustainable development, and maximising brownfield sites while protecting green belt land appropriately. Emphasised the Government's commitment to social housing with £800 million already committed in-year and a further £2 billion at the 2025 spring statement. Stressed collaboration with local authorities and industry to ensure the Building Safety Regulator is working effectively.
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Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.