Mayor Andy Burnham's vow to revive council housebuilding on a scale not seen since post-war Britain has sparked hope for the estimated 1.5 million families awaiting social housing across England. But can Labour deliver on this pledge, particularly when the current government's own target of building 300,000 new homes annually is already faltering?
The challenge is daunting – over a million council homes have been lost since the 1980s – leaving many low-income households facing delays of a decade or more to secure affordable properties. With only just over half of the government's housing target expected to be under construction by mid-2029, according to property agent Savills, Labour's plans may seem ambitious.
Mr Burnham's vision is informed by his direct experience as Mayor of Greater Manchester, where he has grappled with the limitations of local leaders' powers. He acknowledges that without greater delegated authority and increased funding, he struggled to significantly expand affordable homes or reduce social housing waiting lists – despite efforts to encourage private developers through streamlined planning processes.
The plan draws on the success of post-war council housing programmes, which followed the 1947 Town and Country Planning Act. Annual housebuilding figures exceeded 300,000 by the 1950s, with over half constructed by local authorities. However, the introduction of Margaret Thatcher's 1980 Housing Act led to a decline in local authority construction.