Housing must take priority over nature, says Starmer

Homes must have a higher priority than nature and the environment, the Prime Minister said, as ministers outlined reforms that could allow more building on the green belt.

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A shake-up of planning rules revealed on Thursday means councils have been given mandatory targets to deliver a total of 370,000 homes a year in England.

Sir Keir Starmer said local plans to reach these targets were the starting point, but that the government would "absolutely" push development through if the plans do not work.

Starmer said he wanted to "get the balance right with nature and the environment" but that "a human being wanting to have a house" has to be top priority.

The Prime Minister and his deputy Angela Rayner have pledged to build 1.5m homes and take decisions on 150 major infrastructure projects this parliament. The target for the total number of new homes per year in England has been set at 370,408, of which 87,992 (24%) are in London, 70,681 (19%) are in the South East and 45,429 (12%) are in eastern England.

The updated national planning policy framework commits to a "brownfield first" strategy, with disused sites that have already been developed in the past prioritised for new building.