The Secret Weapon Labour Is Using to Hit its Housing Target Revealed!

In a world where living at density needs to become the norm, the UK government faces the challenge of making high-rise living an attractive option for more people. While the government has taken steps to promote commonhold over leasehold, there are still significant hurdles to overcome to encourage the construction and buying of tower blocks. As someone who actively seeks to live in a high-rise flat, I understand the appeal and potential of this type of living arrangement. However, to truly address the housing crisis, we need more individuals like me who embrace living at density.

To achieve this goal, several key issues need to be addressed:

1. Promoting High-Rise Living: England needs to shift its mindset and learn to love flats, especially high-rise ones. Building more quality tower blocks will not only attract buyers but also entice developers to invest in high-rise construction. The market for high-rises suffered greatly after the Grenfell Tower fire, with the government’s response causing further complications for both residents and developers.
2. Challenges with Leasehold: The vulnerability of leaseholders in commercial new-build flats has created a chaotic market with exorbitant costs and restrictions. The revised commonhold system proposed by the government aims to make flat ownership more appealing by offering more control and transparency over maintenance and repairs. This shift could potentially boost the market for high-rises by providing a more secure and predictable ownership model.
3. Building Constraints: The current Building Safety Act poses challenges for developers of high-rises, causing delays and deterring investment in such projects. The lack of mechanisms to address issues in the approval process hinders construction progress and adds additional costs. To encourage more high-rise construction, policies need to be more adaptive to the unique requirements of building vertically.

While the Labour government’s efforts to address leasehold issues and promote high-density living are commendable, more needs to be done to support the construction of high-rises. By building on the previous government’s attempts to improve safety and streamline construction processes, the government can create a more conducive environment for developers and buyers alike. Let’s work towards a future where living at density isn’t the exception but the preferred choice for many.