The Liberal Democrat Party has published its manifesto and outlined it housing policy plans. In its For a Fair Deal Manifesto 2024, the party has pledged to ‘build the homes people desperately need’ by expanding neighbourhood planning across England; building ten new garden cities and allowing councils to buy land for housing based on current use value rather than on a hope-value basis by reforming the Land Compensation Act 1961.

The party also backs ‘properly funding local planning departments to improve planning outcomes and ensure housing is not built in areas of high flood risk without adequate mitigation, by allowing local authorities to set their own fees.’

There are also pledges to encourage the use of rural exception sites to expand rural housing and the trialling of community land auctions to ensure that local communities receive a fair share of the benefits of new development in their areas and to help fund vital local services.

The manifesto also mentions ‘encouraging development of existing brownfield sites with financial incentives and ensuring that affordable and social housing is included in these projects. And introducing ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ planning permission for developers who refuse to build.

The party intends to help people who cannot afford a deposit to own their own homes by introducing a new Rent to Own model for social housing where rent payments give tenants an increasing stake in the property, owning it outright after 30 years.

Increased investment in green infrastructure and housing is also highlighted and a clearer zero-carbon remit to the UK Infrastructure Bank.

Proactively enforcing clear standards for homes that are socially rented, including strict time limits for repairs, is covered. As well as fully recognising tenant panels so that renters have a voice in landlord governance.

Commenting on the Lib Dem pledges Propertymarke chief executive Nathan Emerson said:

“It is encouraging to see housebuilding targets being taken seriously within the first manifesto released, especially a realisation that more social homes are required so that people have access to a greater provision of housing.”

He added: “Propertymark has always believed that ground rents should be capped, so it is good to see that similar proposals are being referenced in the Liberal Democrats’ manifesto. It will be interesting to see what mechanism they intend to use should they succeed in ending no-fault evictions.”