Following the Prime Minister’s speech at Pinewood Studios on December 5, in which he unveiled his ‘Plan for Change’, a new webpage laying out the government’s “Milestones for Mission-Led Government”, is now live.
The site detailing these ‘milestones’ are spread across six key pillars:
Strong Foundations, Kickstarting Economic Growth, An NHS Fit for the Future, Safer Streets, Break Down Barriers to Opportunity and Make Britain a Clean Energy Superpower.
These will be underpinned by six associated metrics which, the Prime Minister insisted, are designed to allow for the public to truly hold them accountable to the progress that they are making to deliver ‘purpose-driven government’, a supposed continuation of the Starmer government from its initial ‘first steps’, which came in the form of early decisions taken by the government since entering office.
Starmer noted that these six milestones were tied directly to economic growth: if these six milestones can be reached, then economic growth will come with it.
In terms of ‘Rebuilding Britain’ and how this relates to housebuilding and infrastructure, some key points and analysis include:
• The government has announced that it will produce 10-year strategies for housing and infrastructure next spring, with clear priorities, plans to deliver, and a pipeline of projects for investors and supply chains. This is a new announcement.
• The Government has also committed to “fast-tracking planning decisions on at least 150 major economic infrastructure projects.” The 150-figure is a new target, as stated by the PM: “We will streamline the approval process in the forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill. And, driving through reform, I can announce another new target. Not just 1.5m homes, but also 150 major infrastructure projects.”
• The government has committed to reforming the planning system to be “pro-growth and pro-infrastructure”. They have reaffirmed their commitment to publishing a new National Planning Policy Framework by the end of 2024, so this can be expected shortly.
• They state that “for the first time we will strategically join up decisions on housing, business growth and infrastructure at both a national and local level, with the Westminster government’s industrial, housing and infrastructure strategies aligning with the local growth plans and strategic development plans led by mayors.”
• They have recommitted to delivering 1.5m new homes over this Parliament.
• As set out in the Budget, the government have committed to providing an additional £500m in the Affordable Homes Programme, taking its annual budget to £3.1bn next year.
For more information, read the PM’s speech on Plan for Change and visit the Plan for Change website.