A new national poll has found that two-thirds of UK adults do not believe Labour will deliver on its key housebuilding pledge, highlighting a widening credibility gap between political ambition and public trust.
Commissioned by public policy institute Curia and carried out by Opinium, the survey of 2,050 adults reveals deep scepticism surrounding the government’s housing goals. Only 17% of respondents believe Labour will meet its targets, with similarly low confidence expressed in other major parties.
The findings have been released ahead of the final stages of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, scheduled for debate in the House of Commons on 9 and 10 June.
Despite broad national support for new housing, local opposition remains a consistent obstacle. While net support for new homes nationwide stands at +37%, this falls sharply to just +7% when people are asked about developments in their own area.
“This isn’t just a delivery crisis, it’s a credibility crisis,” said a Curia spokesperson. “The public supports the idea of more homes, but after decades of unmet promises and underpowered planning reform, they no longer trust anyone to actually deliver.”
The data also sheds light on entrenched divides in attitudes to development:
67% of the public do not believe Labour will meet its housing commitment
45% would prefer to limit development to protect local character
37% favour more housing to address shortages and affordability
More than twice as many people believe the planning system is performing poorly than believe it is working well. Meanwhile, infrastructure consistently receives stronger support than housing alone, with net support for local infrastructure projects at +42%, compared to +7% for housing developments.
The survey found that nearly half of respondents would back new homes if they were well-designed and supported by infrastructure such as schools, transport links and environmental upgrades.
Environmental concerns appear to be less of a barrier to development than often claimed. Just 14% of respondents think existing environmental rules are too strict, and a majority continue to support protections for wildlife, including ancient trees, birds and dormice.
Former local government minister and Curia advisory board member Andrew Stephenson said: “Lay the groundwork before you lay the bricks. That’s the clear message from the public. They don’t want sweeping rhetoric about growth zones or deregulation; they want to see real infrastructure, better quality homes, and trust restored at a local level.”
Curia’s Housing and Infrastructure Research Group, which co-designed the polling with Opinium, is calling for a renewed focus on brownfield-first development, early-stage infrastructure delivery and place-based planning to rebuild public confidence in the system.
James Crouch, head of policy and public affairs at Opinium, added, “Labour has successfully positioned itself as the party of housebuilding, but that won’t shield the government from voter backlash if it fails to meet its own housing targets.”
