Homes England has appointed a new chief executive nine months after its last leader stood down from the government’s housing agency.  

Labour says Amy Rees (pictured) will be a key part of its “mission to tackle the housing crisis and accelerate the delivery of 1.5 million new homes this Parliament”. 

The body has been without a confirmed leader since chief executive Peter Denton and chair Peter Freeman announced they would resign after being handed new housing targets by housing minister Matthew Pennycook last November. 

Rees, a former chief executive of His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, “has a track record of driving change and delivering results,” the housing department says. 

Her appointment comes after the National Housing Bank, a subsidiary of Homes England, was launched in June. 

The publicly-owned lender is backed with £16bn of taxpayer’s cash, and has plans to attract over £53bn of private investment to boost housebuilding.

The housing department says: “She [Rees] has led one of the UK’s most complex public services and will now apply that experience to lead delivery, accelerate transformation, and implement reform — working in close partnership with stakeholders to deliver the government’s agenda.” 

Rees will report to the Homes England board and be accountable to Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Minister Angela Rayner.

Rees’ most recent role was as interim permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice, where she led the department through spending review negotiations and major operational reforms. 

Rayner calls the appointment “a momentous step” for Homes England. 

The Deputy Prime Minister adds: “I know Amy’s exceptional leadership and track record makes her the ideal choice as we work together to build 1.5 million homes, deliver the biggest expansion in social and affordable housing in a generation, and raise living standards in every region across the country.” 

Rees adds: “The housing crisis is one of the most urgent challenges facing our country, and I look forward to working closely with colleagues, government, industry, and communities to deliver the homes people need.” 

The previous leadership at the agency said they would leave the body last November after housing minister Pennycook wrote to the pair, handing them a series of “immediate priorities.”  

These included unblocking over 200 sites, with outline or detailed planning permission, where work had stalled and had the potential to deliver up to 300,000 homes. 

They were also tasked with working on the government’s plan to have up to 12 new towns under construction over the next four years, which should add at least 10,000 new homes. 

Rees will take up her role on 8 September, replacing Eamonn Boylan, who joined the agency as interim chief executive in January. 

In April, Pat Ritchie was appointed interim chair of Homes England, taking over from Freeman, before later being confirmed in the role.