The Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities has appointmented another housing minister to take up the yoke in this ever changing position, leading to industry questions about its commitment to the role.
Redditch MP Rachel Maclean, who has only been in Parliament for six years, recently took over from Lucy Frazer, who is the new culture secretary. This makes Maclean the 15th housing minister in the last 13 years.
Maclean has a background in sales and IT publishing, co-founding several companies based in IT. She worked in the Department of Transport under Boris Johnson, and did a stint in the Home Office as minister for safeguarding.
The Royal Town Planners Institute welcomed Ms Maclean, with Victoria Hills, Chief Executive, saying: “However, like many others, we are concerned that the high turnover of ministers in such a fundamentally important role, to deliver the homes the nation so desperately needs, risks undermining the urgency of the situation, and does not tally with the recognition by the Government in its Levelling Up White Paper for a strong planning system.
“Now, more than ever, we need consistency in our leadership as we progress through the National Planning Policy Framework consultations and edge closer to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill receiving Royal Assent. We hope that Rachel Maclean MP brings the strong leadership and consistency to the position and as ever, offer our assistance in helping to inform decision-making.”
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Yet another Housing Minister – the fifth in 12 months – raises questions about this government’s commitment to get Britain building.
“A sclerotic planning system is pushing the smallest house builders out of business. Small, local developers should be at the heart of levelling up, but they need a government that backs them with bold support to reverse their decline. It can start by ensuring planning departments are properly resourced, and that environmental and energy mitigation measures are applied fairly, mindful of the costs they are pushing on to small building companies.”
