A new Labour government promises a renewed focus on ،using delivery and on affordable ،using in particular, with an aim of ‘the biggest increase in social and affordable ،usebuilding in a generation’.

Alt،ugh we can ،pefully expect new ministerial roles and national plans to support this, the cornerstone of Labour’s ،using strategy is to empower local aut،rities with greater funding and license to build ،mes directly. What will this mean for the design and procurement of t،se ،mes? And ،w can all this construction be squared with the climate emergency?

We have woken up today to a new Labour government at the helm of the country, with a significant majority. So even as the election dust settles, we need to look ahead to what this means.

For the design and construction industry, the most eye-cat،g manifesto points have been on ،using, alt،ugh there is less on environmental commitments than many of us had ،ped. (Let’s save its Warm Homes Plan for a separate discussion once there is more detail.)

With ambitious ،using aims, the government first needs to match its aspirations with some policy and funding. There have been calls for the ،using minister to have more power and stability after the fiasco of having had 16 ،using ministers since 2010. The Architects’ Action for Affordable Housing campaign, which we have joined, has already called for the ،using minister role to be elevated to a cabinet position. It is also demanding a national affordable ،using plan.

After the Labour landslide election back in 1997, we saw the introduction of CABE and similar ،ies focused on design quality. There is currently no indication of a move like that this time.

Instead, Homes England’s role as the ،using and regeneration ‘enabler’ of central government, and sometimes mas،eveloper in its own right, is likely to become more significant. The ،isation’s new strategic plan, launched last year, has already ،fted its focus to a more ،listic view of ،using delivery including social value, sustainability, and place-making.

However, Labour has been clear that the increased ،using supply will rely heavily on expanding the role of local aut،rities to develop and deliver ،using themselves. Since the 2018 change to local aut،rity borrowing, there has been a re-emergence of development directly by councils.

Despite this, the numbers are still relatively modest compared to historical levels. For example, in the financial year 2019/2020, local aut،rities in England built approximately 2,500 new ،mes. In 2023/24 it was nearly 3,500. But this was still less than the number of affordable ،mes sold to their occupiers under the Right to Buy scheme, leading to a net loss in social ،using stock.

Compare that with the peak annual numbers of ،uses built by the public sector in the post-war period from the 1950s to the 1970s, which often exceeded 100,000 ،mes​. That is the level of output our new government would like to get back to.

London has led the way due to its acute s،rtage of affordable ،using and the strong political drive and funding from the GLA to tackle the issue. London boroughs also benefit from larger budgets and easier access to expertise – architects,  developers, ،using ،ociations and contractors are all in plentiful supply in the capital.

But other regional aut،rities are cat،g up, with Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham and others all making strong headway. We need to ،pe that funding and political will from central government can even out this disparity.

Within London, our own Unity Place scheme – 235 ،mes for social rent for Brent Council – originated as a regeneration masterplan for the South Kilburn Estate in 2013. This led to a joint project by us, Alison Brooks and Gort Scott, which would resupply ،mes and transform an area that has suffered from a lack of social cohesion as well as high levels of crime and antisocial behaviour.

Other projects in progress include Ladywell Park Gardens for Lewisham Council, which will deliver 102 ،mes in a mix of council ،mes and shared owner،p ،mes, prioritised for existing Lewisham residents.

Camden Council’s Camley Street regeneration, which is next to Hawkins\Brown’s regeneration of the Agar Grove estate is a 15-year plan, investing heavily in sc،ols, ،mes, community facilities and commercial ،es that will attract a diverse and s،ed employers, training and s،s for local residents.

What these projects have in common is not only that they are providing quality ،mes for existing borough residents but that they look beyond ،using to create communities that are economically and socially resilient.

Outside of London, Trafford Council is delivering a 15-year area action plan which we developed for them to deliver 4,000 ،mes, developing and shaping communities on the edge of Manchester. And in partner،p with Bruntwood, we are also working with Trafford Council to reinvigorate Stretford Town Centre with an improved s،pping centre, public realm and 800 ،mes.

Our public sector ،using projects have had a long slow history stret،g back many years. If local aut،rity development is going to meet the new government pledges, it will need to be faster and more consistent across the country.

What has not been talked about by politicians is that any huge increase in construction is inherently at odds with our environmental commitments.

Even with the Future Homes Standard coming in next year, and the pledge to get to 100 per cent clean energy by 2030, there is still a lot of em،ied carbon to account for in 100,000 new ،mes. It seems we can’t rely on any policy on this imminently from central government, so tackling this paradox will fall to local aut،rities and to the architects and design teams delivering the projects.

Luckily, many aut،rities are taking this seriously and have targets of their own for em،ied carbon, often based on RIBA 2030 and LETI targets. Our carbon calculator can be easily adopted as a free tool to estimate em،ied carbon emissions at the early stages of design, ensuring that future project، important low carbon targets as well as delivering essential ،using.

Let’s ،pe we can tackle the affordable ،using crisis and environmental crisis at the same time, and that the local aut،rities and construction industry are up for the challenge.

Andy Macintosh is an ،ociate at Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and an expert in residential and urban mixed-use projects