Overview

• Expert planning officers will decide applications for developments of up to nine homes, replacing slower committee processes by elected councillors.
• A £100 million accelerator loan scheme and a proposed National Housing Delivery Fund aim to provide long-term finance to small and medium-sized builders.
• Sites of 10–49 homes will enter a new medium-sized category with simplified biodiversity net gain rules and an exemption from the building safety levy.
• Homes England will allocate more land exclusively to smaller developers and pilot schemes in Bristol, Sheffield and Lewisham will unlock underused small sites.
• Conservation groups warn the reforms could weaken nature protections, and the Conservatives doubt Labour will meet its 1.5 million homes target by 2029-30.