In a fiery speech, Sir Keir Starmer delivered a strong message aimed at “the NIMBYs, the regulators, the blockers and bureaucrats, the alliance of naysayers, the people who say, ‘Britain can’t do this.’” His words resonated with property developers who are all too familiar with the challenges of navigating the UK’s planning system.

Describing the current state of planning as “a blockage in our economy that is so big, it obscures an entire future,” Starmer called out systemic inefficiencies that he believes are holding the country back. He elaborated: “It stops this country building roads, grid connections, laboratories, trainlines, warehouses, windfarms, power stations… This government will not accept this nonsense anymore.”

An ambitious vision for development

Starmer has set an ambitious target of delivering 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament, along with 150 major infrastructure projects designed to modernise the nation’s economy. His promise to triple the number of decisions on national infrastructure reflects a significant shift in priorities. If delivered, these changes could address long-standing bottlenecks in the planning process and reignite hope for the property development sector.

A new era for property developers?

For property developers, Starmer’s proposals could signal the dawn of a new, more efficient planning era. By addressing the bureaucracy and resistance often faced during project approval, these reforms have the potential to unlock opportunities for development and growth. However, questions remain about the feasibility of such sweeping changes and whether these ambitious targets can be met.

Is this the fresh start property developers have been waiting for? Only time will tell if these promises translate into tangible reforms that truly support the industry.