A contentious proposal by Labour leader Andy Burnham to build thousands of council houses on public land is being scrutinised over fears it could create a 'postcode lottery', where some areas get preferential treatment. A new analysis suggests that relying solely on vacant publicly owned brownfield sites may not be enough to meet the ambitious target of 300,000 social and affordable homes.
According to data from Searchland, England has around 187,000-207,000 homes' worth of publicly owned brownfield land. However, this is well short of Labour's goal, even before considering the feasibility of each site. In reality, a significant proportion of the programme would still require private land purchases at current market value.
Specialist lender Together's Chief Commercial Officer, Ryan Etchells, argues that while using public land is a sound idea, it can only form part of the solution to address England's housing crisis. He points out that areas with pressing housing needs often have limited access to public land, exacerbating the disparity and creating a postcode lottery effect.
The distribution of available land is cause for concern. Birmingham boasts 185 sites capable of delivering 11,500 homes, while nearly two-thirds of areas identified as having severe housing delivery shortfalls possess little to no significant public land suitable for housebuilding. Conversely, some of the largest public landholdings are situated in regions already meeting or exceeding their housing targets.
The implications extend beyond social housing, with potential strain on the private rented sector (PRS) if supply fails to meet demand. Experts like David Smith, a partner at Bishop & Sewell, acknowledge that increasing social homes can be positive for the PRS, but caution that a clearer role for private landlords is essential.