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"Nick Boles' appointment as planning tsar would be a progressive move from Starmer, introducing a more collaborative approach"

Journalist: Rohit (News Alerts)

ended 06. July 2024

Keir Starmer is apparently considering appointing Nick Boles as a new ‘planning tsar’. Boles, who previously served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Planning from September 2012 until July 2014, has a track record of pushing for significant planning reforms. Given the current housing crisis and the ongoing debates around planning regulations, Newspage asked property experts if this is a positive step that addresses one of the main pledges in Labour's manifesto, namely to build 1.5 million homes — and what impact it could have on the property market. Their views are below.

7 responses from the Newspage community

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Rohit KohliVerified
Director at The Mortgage Stop
Boles' appointment as planning tsar would be a progressive move from Starmer, introducing a more collaborative approach following 14 years of combative politics. Boles' previous experience will enable him to quickly get to grips with the pressing issues in the UK housing market, which needs radical reform. It's likely he will work towards streamlining and updating planning laws. However, it's crucial that he balances this by ensuring that decision-making remains localised to address specific community needs effectively. The nation urgently needs high-quality, affordable housing to help more first-time buyers get onto the property ladder. Additionally, a more efficient local planning process is essential, allowing developers, residents and local authorities to collaborate without prolonged delays. It's also vital to ensure that new developments include robust infrastructure, creating thriving communities rather than merely building houses.
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Samuel Mather-HolgateVerified
Independent Financial Adviser at Mather and Murray Financial
Nick Boles was the last minister who made any positive impact on housing in Britain, and the fact he is being considered as a planning tsar for Starmer’s government is a bold move. It will send a strong message to the markets that Labour mean business on housing, which is one of their key building blocks to a stronger economy. Boles has strong views on planning and the personality and temperament to offer these views to those in power and deliver a pragmatic solution to making the changes the sector needs. This would be a hugely positive move for Labour’s housing agenda.
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Justin MoyVerified
Managing Director at EHF Mortgages
This is a really positive start from the new Labour government. Housing is such a flagship issue and one that may define their tenure in office. Cutting out local obstacles to major property development is key, and speed from application to build start is critical to the success of Labour's pledge to build 1.5million homes. Builders should be tasked to ensure smaller properties are priority, allowing single applicants to afford to move home for the first time. Too many developments do not offer 1 or 2 bedroom properties, putting them out of reach of tenants and first time buyers trying to get on the ladder. Social housing needs reform too, in particular capping the rent and service charges on Shared Ownership properties. Many are suffering significant increases in cost, making affordable housing less affordable.
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Chris BarryVerified
Director at Thomas Legal
Labour are pushing two key points when it comes to housing: giving more power to tenants and building more houses. Appointing Boles would be a major step towards real-world planning reform, which the country has needed since the horse and cart was the preferred method of transportation. There will be some quick wins the party can implement within 100 days to unblock the system and grant some big schemes, which I’m sure will grab the headlines. Planning, however, is only part of the problem and the party will need to tackle the affordability issue, which doesn’t seem to have been addressed in their manifesto.
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Emma JonesVerified
Managing Director at Whenthebanksaysno.co.uk
If Labour is to make its housing pledge a reality, reforming the planning system will be paramount. The appointment of Boles would be a positive move from the Labour Government and it's good to see this kind of thinking so early into the new administration.
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Andrew MontlakeVerified
Managing Director at Coreco
This kind of news coming out of Downing Street just a day after the election shows a Government that wants to act. Manifestos talk the talk but this shows a government that is prepared to walk the walk. Planning has been the Achilles' Heel of so many governments so if Labour can genuinely crack it they will be off to a flying start.
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Graham CoxVerified
Director at Bridging Hub
A radical overhaul of the planning system is long overdue. It's slow, bureacratic and a major bottleneck to building the homes the UK desperately needs. Land banking by the major house builders should be investigated, and the playing field levelled to allow smaller developers to compete. But most importantly, local authorities must be provided with the means to build social housing at huge scale. And to do that, the disastrous Right to Buy policy must end.