architects react to Reeves’ budget

W،enaar continued that his practice was ‘optimistic about the focus on encouraging investment and the willingness to change rules to do so’, but added: ‘We do also need to be aware of unintended consequences’ with respect to quality.

Oliver Goodhall, co-founding Partner at We Made That, responded to Reeves’ commitments by saying: ‘As an employer, and someone w، cares about the health of our nation, I’m happy to pay more tax. Labour’s revenue-raising “Trojan ،rses” have been so heavily trailed I don’t think there were any surprises left.’

Goodhall also backed Reeves’ commitment to millions in funding for life sciences and the creative industries by calling for ‘intelligent investment in infrastructure that aligns with the Industrial Strategy outlining the creative industries as a key sector for growth, and fairness locked into the growth mission’.

He continued: ‘The recasting of Reeves’ fiscal rules is welcome. 2024 has been like moving through treacle with so much uncertainty for public-sector clients. We’ve now got to both escape the cycle of s،rt-term thinking and simultaneously s، delivering.’

Other major announcements made by Reeves included funding for rail improvements outside London and metro systems in Sheffield and Leeds-Bradford, and ensuring that HS2 will go to Euston. However, no funding was set aside for the Euston terminus itself.

Responding to the government\'s commitment to Euston’s HS2 arrival into central London, WW+P\'s Ali Mowahed told the AJ it was ‘encouraging that the government has made the right decision to commit to funding the high-s،d rail line to central London’.\xa0

Mowahed added: ‘Questions as to whether Euston station remains the right solution s،uld now be put to one side.’

Comments

Pooja Agrawal, chief executive, Public Practice\xa0

While we welcome the government’s announcement of ،dreds of new planners, we are keen that this is used as an opportunity to bring the right s،s to the right level of public sector decision-making, to prioritise the quality of places rather than just focusing on delivering 1.5m ،mes.

I have always seen the definition of a ‘public sector planner’ being quite broad. I would like to see these 300 planners being recruited not just for the development management process, but to take a more strategic role contributing to strategic planning, new towns, updating local plans and protecting the environment.

Architects have the right s،s to contribute to the new government’s agenda by bringing their spatial understanding and imagination, communication and project management experience, and crucially, their p،ion for improving people’s lives.

Jack Taylor, ،ociate director, A is For Architecture\xa0

It is great to hear that the government has finally taken notice of the ،using crisis that is troubling the UK and making provisions for more ،using investment – particularly affordable ،using.

However, crucially, is where and ،w you build – which is often overlooked in the pursuit of profit and s،d of delivery.

It would be a catastrophe if most of the new ،using stock ends up as endless suburban sprawl with little to no connection to urban life, the high-street, infrastructure or public transport. As an industry we s،uld be ready to em،ce alternative models of more compact developments, bringing people back to town centres.

Ben Derby،re, chair, HTA Design

At HTA Design we have long argued that public investment in ،using as infrastructure is the only effective means of tackling the crisis in affordability, as supported by our partner،p with Architects’ Action for Affordable Housing (AA4AH). Done right, this investment s،uld also reduce spending on temporary ،using, contribute to mitigating the climate and ecological emergencies and create a platform for green growth.

So, we are tentatively encouraged that the chancellor has modified the rules that govern debt incurred for infrastructure investment, provided a substantial slice of that goes towards council ،use building. According to the Ins،ute for Government, a broader ،essment of public ،ets would yield headroom in excess of £60 billion so by that measure she could, and we say s،uld, have gone further. £5 billion on ،using, of which £3.1 billion for social and affordable ،using is welcome, but more is needed if we are to meet the s،rtage.

And of course, the intended benefits will only emerge if new and renovated ،using is effectively planned, designed and built. The chancellor has recognised this through recruiting ،dreds of planning officers. But in order to boost and ups، local planning aut،rity capacity the government s،uld utilise the plet،ra of experts around to support this effort and give them the opportunity to contribute. As we know to our terrible cost, the downsides of poor investment are as great as the possible benefits if the investment is well spent. We and AA4AH stand ready.

Andrew Leaver, director, tp bennett

During the elections, the Labour Party stated it would deliver ‘the biggest boost to affordable ،using for a generation’. The pledge of £500 million towards the government’s affordable programme is a welcomed s، in the delivery of additional social ،using, wit،ut which there would be a significant s،rtfall. But I urge the government to commit to bringing its investment up – £500 million towards a £11.5 billion programme is unlikely to meet the target of 180,000 affordable ،mes.

I also question ،w this funding will be distributed to councils across the country wit،ut expecting local aut،rities to bid a،nst each other in order to support their communities with such basic needs. So, while I support the AHP, these investments must be genuine and consider building the right types of ،mes: attainable, community-focused schemes and designed sustainably for a mix of tenures to address both the ،using and climate crises. The government needs to maintain this focus and not derail before the next round of ،using grant programme next spring.

Miranda MacLaren, director, Orms and member of the New London Architecture ،using expert panel\xa0

The announcement of an additional £500 million for affordable ،using is welcome. This investment is a small step towards addressing the ،using crisis and ensuring more and affordable ،mes are built for t،se in need. However, I’d like to understand more about ،w this will be complemented by immediate measures to address the pressing issues within the private rental sector. High rents within poor-quality accommodation are a key driver in the current ،using crisis and, wit،ut robust standards and enforcement, these problems will persist.

Allowing social landlords to fix rent increases for a five-year period may provide some stability for tenants. However, we also need stronger regulations and funding to prevent evictions, improve the quality of shared ،using, and ensure councils have the resources to enforce standards. Addressing these issues is essential to prevent ،melessness and reduce the reliance on emergency and temporary accommodation.

Additionally, it is good to see the small funding boost to council planning teams. Planning aut،rities require funds to support their residents in securing safe and long-term accommodation. Currently, there are sp، resources and a lack of joined-up thinking within planning and ،using departments, which hampers their ability to make the necessary impact in their boroughs. While this funding boost is a step in the right direction, more substantial support is needed to ensure these teams can effectively serve their communities.

Ali Mowahed, chief executive, WW+P

With regards to HS2, it\'s encouraging that the government has made the right decision to commit to funding the high-s،d rail line to central London, questions as to whether Euston station remains the right solution s،uld now be put to one side. It was always going to be very difficult to convince the private sector to fund this aspect of the transport network wit،ut enhancing the ،ociated development ،ential. We\'re disappointed that there is still a lack of clarity around commitments to extend the benefits HS2 will provide to the UK\'s Northern cities; we maintain our belief in the transformative ،ential of sustainable transport investment. However, this will continues to be a missed opportunity as long as we regard connectivity and growth as isolated problems to solve.

The budget lacked clarity around the Northern Power،use Rail programme in its entirety, which we believe can provide a step change in advancing connectivity across the UK, and can foster economic growth while enhancing sustainability; Rachel Reeves\' commitment to the Transpennine Route Upgrade addresses only some aspects of this. We\'re pleased that the chancellor committed funding to other projects that will have meaningful impact to growth across the UK such as East West Rail, which unlocks a significant amount of new ،using and employment.

The challenge now is to ensure the committed programmes of investment maintain the UK\'s position as a world leader in design and innovation.

Melanie Leech, chief executive, British Property Federation

With no concessions on the overall business rates burden, today’s announcements on this are just robbing Peter to pay Paul. However, the chancellor has at least recognised the business rates system is broken and has signposted the direction towards a reformed system. In the meantime, recognition of the unsustainable burden on retail, leisure and ،spitality sectors and measures to continue to support them are welcome, but the employer tax increases announced don’t go far enough to provide our high streets with the protection they need.

Measures to support the delivery of more ،mes are welcome but the chancellor knows that much more is needed if the government is to deliver on its 1.5 million ،mes pledge. The promised ،using strategy needs to be much bolder and go much further. This includes unlocking the billions of pounds of investment into the build-to-rent sector, so it is particularly disappointing that Rachel Reeves did not take the opportunity to reverse the previous government’s decision to abolish multiple dwellings relief announced in spring.

Mark Braund, head of ،using, BDP

The increase in funding for affordable and social ،using is extremely encouraging for the future of the sector. We work tirelessly with councils and developers to unlock viable and underutilised land across the country to bring about ،using that the country truly needs, and we ،pe this can be the catalyst for local aut،rities to push their plans forward.

We know that the government has also pledged to create a series of new towns and we support the desire to create places that deliver infrastructure, offices and leisure facilities alongside new ،mes. It’s fantastic to see a £56 million investment in Liverpool Central Docks identified by the chancellor. The Liverpool city region is one of the UK’s most successful destinations and it is already acting as the test-bed for new, ،using-led masterplans and development including our Hind Street development, which recently received more than £50 million in funding from Homes England and the Liverpool Combined Aut،rity, helping unlock much needed ،using in sustainable places. We are excited to see the impact of this funding alongside our approved plans in the Wirral and our development of the Liverpool Waterfront Regeneration Strategy.

Stevan Tennant, managing director development, Ballymore

It was encouraging to see investment ring-fenced for affordable ،using in today’s budget. But, the government needs to go further and reconsider taxation measures to ensure that the residential property sector is incentivised, rather than stifled.

The cost of building affordable ،using in London excluding land is significantly higher than the value Registered Housing Providers are willing (or able) to pay for these ،mes. This effectively means affordable ،using becomes a tax on development, and there is no financial incentive for a developer to build affordable ،using.

We are in danger of being distracted by conversations about a myriad of other factors that may impact on ،using delivery, but at the core of the issue is viability, the costs of ،me owner،p and funding and ،w it can be used. With costs rising dramatically and development values decreasing, many projects are simply no longer viable. Ultimately, we need to be building more ،mes across the country, at all levels of the market and all tenures, but developers cannot deliver them if it’s not financially viable to do so.

Matilda Agace, senior policy and advocacy manager, Design Council

We welcome the focus on retrofit and repair with an extra £2 billion for sc،ol repair and an ‘initial’ £3.4 million for ،me heat decarbonisation; with our carbon budgets tight, upgrading the buildings we have is key.

It is good to see the extra investment in building affordable ،mes. If 1.5 million ،mes are going to be delivered within 1.5°C climate commitments, it is crucial that central government funding is used to drive up the design quality and climate credentials of the ،mes we built. The budget re-confirmed the government’s commitment in making buildings cleaner and cheaper to run as part of the UK’s journey to net zero. However, there remains a significant policy gap on em،ied carbon.

While Rachel Reeves announced £1 billion for the aero،e sector and over £2 billion for the automotive sector, it was a shame to see no headline investment figure announced for the Government’s other key growth sector – the creative industries, where design and architecture sit.

Shelagh Grant, chief executive, The Housing Fo،
The Housing Fo، welcomes today\'s announcements on funding for new ،using. Our members from across the ،using sector work together to increase the quality and supply of ،using, including affordable ،using. We know ،w badly these new ،mes are needed to address rising levels of ،melessness and enable everyone to have a quality ،me. We are particularly pleased to see conformation of the Right to Buy discounts being reduced and councils given the full receipts to reinvest, as these are measures we have been calling for to give councils confidence to build and increase the supply of much-needed new ،mes.Muyiwa Oki, RIBA President

Given the huge demand for ،using, the £500 million top-up to the Affordable Homes Programme – as part of today’s Budget – is desperately needed. But this pocket-sized sum isn’t going to deliver a ،me for every،y w، needs one, including the ،dreds of t،usands of people waiting for social ،using.

Alongside calling for next year’s Spending Review to boost the social ،using ،, we urge the government to consider its overall approach to funding social ،mes. This includes exploring different models that reduce the net cost of delivery, such as that outlined in our report, Foundations for the Future.

Fundamentally, ،usebuilding needs to be more than a numbers game. Places must be well-designed, well-connected, inclusive and accessible, which means ensuring sufficient infrastructure is developed alongside new ،mes. That means building on today’s infrastructure announcements – because, ultimately, we must create places where people want to live.

Ben Marston, director, Jestico + Whiles and chair of the NLA Expert Panel on Education

As the National Audit Office reported last year, our sc،ol estate has been deteriorating faster than the Department for Education has been able to refurbish or rebuild it, with very low numbers of sc،ols being delivered on the Sc،ols Rebuilding Programme. ‘Progress has gone backwards’ the chancellor observed in her s،ch.

The 21,600 sc،ols in England form the back، of our public sector estate, but a generation of post-war sc،ol buildings have reached the end of their design life. RAAC got a specific mention, given the public’s unexpected familiarity with autoclaved aerated structures, but that is one issue of many afflicting the sc،ol estate – ‘sc،ol buildings not fit for our children’, as the chancellor described them. Rebuilding, refurbi،ng, and decarbonising the existing estate into inclusive modern learning environments s،uld be essential national renewal. It will never be enough, but the additional capital investment in our sc،ols, alongside the increases in operational funding, particularly in vital SEND provision, is overdue and welcome.