On properly funding the planning system Ali Bennett, director of development at Raven Housing Trust, said:

“Schemes across the country are suffering delays due to various issues. From viability with rising material costs and inflation to water and nutrient neutrality and planning challenges. However, by properly resourcing planning departments, speeding up the process, getting better outcomes and enabling Local Planning Authorities the capacity to think and act more strategically about delivery and sustainability, some of the extreme pressures being felt could be alleviated.

On increasing incentives for affordable homes delivery Bennett said:

“This solution would require government support via increased grants to support the high building costs. Otherwise housing associations, including us, would be dipping into reserves that would inevitably result in us being able to do less, at a time when we need to do more.

“Support for housing associations with initiatives such as grants for regeneration to help deal with ageing and unsustainable homes would help support the strategy as well as supporting the sector in achieving the net zero carbon target by 2050.

On ensuring the removal of Section 106 and its new Infrastructure Levy does not have adverse consequence on affordable housing delivery Bennett said:

“We would wholeheartedly support the commitment to seek to use the new system to deliver as much, if not more affordable housing — it is vital that we don’t dilute this very valuable and much-needed tenure of housing.”