Housing and planning policy needs leadership consistency

July 10, 2018

Theresa May has appointed Kit Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire, as minister of state for housing and planning.

Malthouse is the fifth housing minister in three years and succeeds Dominic Raab, who served as housing minister for less than six months and has been appointed as secretary of state for exiting the EU.

The House Builders Association (HBA), the house building division of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), congratulates Mr Malthouse on his appointment and looks forward to working with him. However, as the fourth housing minister in twelve months takes office, the HBA is starting to wonder whether the Government appreciates how vital consistent leadership is in solving the housing crisis.

The NFB is disappointed to have lost Raab, a housing minister who talked openly about planning reform and the need to make the housing market more competitive by supporting smaller house builders.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “It is always frustrating to lose ministers who are not only approachable and passionate about their brief but vocal about solutions. The housing crisis can only be solved with a consistent approach.

“The industry remains consistent in its approach and its message and this should prove a helpful platform to solve the housing crisis. We only hope that the next minister for housing shows a similar openness to solving the housing crisis and redoubles efforts to reform planning and make the housing market more competitive.”

Shared by: National Federation of Builders

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