​General Election Housebuilding Focus

How do the three main parties plan to tackle the ‘housing crisis’?

It would appear to many observers that Brexit has created paralysis in UK politics over the last few years. The domestic agenda has been pushed from the headlines by the seemingly overwhelming public and political discord over our future relationship with the EU.

However, the election, called partly as a response to the Brexit impasse has seen national issues regain centre stage.

The manifestos are in but what could the house-building sector expect from each party if they were put into office?

Demand has outstripped supply for many years and measures aimed at solving this problem have the potential to be big vote winners.

We have reviewed data from the past for decades in order to place these pledges within the context of the historic record of successive governments.

The party spin machines have been on full throttle with headlines proclaiming big numbers around house-building but who comes out on top when it comes to putting construction at the heart of their agenda?

It is estimated that every pound invested in construction results in a ￡2.83 increase in GDP*. Are the politicians prepared to take full advantage of this potential boost to the economy?

* Source: L.E.K. Consulting, Construction in the UK Economy: The Benefits of Investment (The UK Contractors Group, London), 2009.