Steve Reed admits sharp rise needed to hit 1.5m housing target

Housing Secretary Steve Reed has admitted there will need to be a sharp surge in housebuilding to meet Labour’s promise to build 1.5 million new homes.

The government is currently forecast to narrowly miss its target, after the number of new homes started fell from 207,000 to 139,000 after Labour took office – the lowest since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Reed said he expected the government to “just meet” its target once the impact of planning reforms take hold, including new targets and some building on former green belt land.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s new Housing Britain series, Reed said ministers were “pulling every lever” to hit the target by 2029, when the next general election is expected.

Reed, who took over the housing brief three months ago from Angela Rayner, said the government…