"What happens next, including the impact of the Budget next month and consultations on the homebuying & selling process, will determine whether ambition or autonomy wins out."
- Sian Hemming-Metcalfe - Inventory Base
New analysis from Inventory Base highlights sharp contrasts in housing and property policy priorities across the four main UK political parties. Reviewing announcements from each party conference, the company found a clear divide between those advocating firm housebuilding targets and those favouring deregulation.
The review examined four key themes:
Housing supply
Planning reform
The homebuying process
Renters and leaseholders
Housing supply
At its conference in Liverpool, Labour reaffirmed its headline election pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes in England by 2029. The party outlined plans to launch 12 new towns, with Tempsford, Leeds South Bank and Crews Hill in North London named as the first sites. Labour said it would ‘do whatever it takes’ to get Britain building, including addressing the construction skills shortage.
The Conservatives did not introduce new national housebuilding targets, maintaining instead a focus on demand-side support. Although no new supply measures were announced, incentives for first-time buyers were a key talking point.
The Liberal Democrats restated their long-standing goal of building 380,000 homes a year, including 150,000 social homes annually. Reform UK, while less detailed, spoke about fast-tracking brownfield development and easing affordable housing requirements, though it offered limited data or policy specifics.
Planning
Planning policy marked one of the starkest areas of difference. Labour is committed to mandatory housing targets and a brownfield-first strategy, with potential release of certain green-belt sites under defined criteria. The party also suggested a package of technical reforms to shorten build-out times and adjust planning thresholds.
By contrast, the Conservatives made few references to planning reform, apart from reiterating their commitment to protecting the green belt. Most discussions focused on tax and energy policy rather than planning frameworks.
The Liberal Democrats backed brownfield-first development as part of their environmental strategy, while Reform UK called for simplified planning processes and infrastructure funding reform. Their platform also linked housing pressure to net migration levels, proposing migration control as a supporting measure.
The homebuying process
Labour placed heavy emphasis on modernising the homebuying process, outlining plans to reduce transaction times by up to a month. Proposals include expanding up-front information for buyers, piloting binding offers and raising professional standards among estate agents. Labour claimed these measures could save first-time buyers an average of £710 while cutting delays significantly.
The Conservatives proposed a £5,000 ‘First Job Bonus’ in the form of a National Insurance rebate for first-time buyers, with couples eligible for up to £10,000. They also pledged to abolish stamp duty on main home purchases under a future Conservative government.
The Liberal Democrats reiterated their intention to regulate estate and letting agents, although detailed homebuying reforms were limited. Reform UK made only brief reference to the issue during its conference.
Renters and leaseholders
Labour confirmed its Renters’ Rights Bill is approaching Royal Assent, alongside continued work to improve social housing quality and safety. The party also highlighted upcoming leasehold reform measures, with further details expected soon.
The Conservatives made few policy announcements in this area, as housing was secondary to fiscal and welfare discussions.
The Liberal Democrats took a stronger stance, pledging to abolish leasehold, cap ground rents and remove dangerous cladding at no cost to leaseholders. Reform UK provided minimal commentary, focusing instead on overall housing supply.
Key takeaways
This year’s conference season underscored an increasingly divided policy landscape. Labour and the Liberal Democrats are setting firm targets and proposing detailed reforms, while the Conservatives and Reform UK are leaning toward deregulation and market-led mechanisms.
For the property sector, the split presents uncertainty over the balance between government intervention and market autonomy. The next government will inherit a housing system marked by demand pressures, uneven delivery and regulatory tension. The challenge, as Inventory Base’s analysis suggests, lies in achieving consistency and credible execution.
“While some parties are willing to set hard targets and tackle systemic issues head-on, others are leaning on deregulation and fiscal levers to let the market decide,” said Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, operations director at Inventory Base. “Either way, this is a defining moment for housing policy. The industry is ready to deliver; it’s a strong policy that needs to catch up. What happens next, including the impact of the Budget next month and consultations on the homebuying & selling process, will determine whether ambition or autonomy wins out.”
