Built Environment Committee to kick off its housing demand inquiry with first evidence session
Monday 5 July 2021
On Tuesday 6 July 2021, the new House of Lords Built Environment Committee will be holding its first evidence session for its inquiry looking at the demand for new housing in the UK and how barriers to meeting this demand can be overcome.
This evidence session will be held remotely and streamed on Parliament TV.
At 9:30am the committee will hear from:
- Professor Chris Leishman, Director, Centre for Housing, Urban and Regional Planning, University of Adelaide
- Professor Michael Oxley, Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge
- Professor Christine Whitehead, Emeritus Professor of Housing Economics, London School of Economics and Political Science.
Questions the committee is likely to ask include:
- What social and demographic factors shape housing demand in the UK?
- How might an ageing population and trends in household formation and immigration affect housing demand?
- What are the expected future trends in housing demand?
- Does the Government’s target of 300,000 new homes per year accurately reflect housing demand?
- What is the balance of demand for new housing between homes for private ownership, privately-rented homes, and social housing?
The Committee is considering the key factors shaping the type, tenure and quality of housing needed in the UK. It will look at a range of challenges to meeting that demand including skills shortages in the construction industry and some specific aspects of the planning system.
This new cross-party Committee has been appointed to consider housing, planning, transport and infrastructure. It is chaired by Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG.
Last week the committee published its Call for Evidence - the deadline for the submission of written evidence is 10 September 2020.
The Committee’s work can be followed on its website and via Twitter.
