Lib Dems keep 380,000-home housing target after rebellion

The Liberal Democrats have maintained their national commitment to a 380,000 homes-a-year housebuilding target after a group of young members rebelled against the leadership at the Party’s Bournemouth conference this week.

The Party had proposed dropping its 380,000-home annual target, which has been in place since 2021, and replacing it with a target to build at least 150,000 “social homes” a year, on the basis that the “quantity, location, tenure and size of homes built by the private sector will be determined by market conditions and profitability to developers, not the needs of the population”.

The move had been seen by commentators as a key part of the Lib Dems strategy to take seats from the Tories in so-called “blue wall” constituencies at the next election, where fears over housebuilding are seen as a motivating factor for voters.

However, the Young Liberals group, chaired by Janey Little, argued that the target needed to be kept in order for the party to show it was listening to the concerns of younger voters, stating it was not “ambitious enough”.

Despite former leader Tim Farron arguing on the conference floor in favour of the leadership’s position, that a 380,000 homes-a-year target was “vague” and “Thatcherite”, delegates voted in favour of a new amendment retaining the target.

>> See also Senior Conservatives turn on leadership over housing after election drubbing

>> See also The push for 300,000 homes: interview with Lord Stunell

Farron said: “Vague targets let and empower developers to build the houses that they want but never … the homes that we desperately need, especially that young people actually need”, but Janey Little argued back that young people had felt “ignored and let down by those at the top of our party”.

The revised agreed amendment states that the party “maintains its commitment to a national housing target of 380,000 new homes per year, to set a clear direction of travel and to indicate serious intent to address the housing crisis”.

Thank you, #LDConf.

There is nothing more liberal than ensuring everyone has the right to a home.

Now, let’s go and #BuildMoreBloodyHouses 🏠🧡

— Young Liberals 🏳️‍⚧️ (@YoungLiberalsUK) September 25, 2023

It adds that Lib Dems would seek to introduce a “new approach to housing targets, that translates the national target into achievable local targets, creating sustainable communities and rewarding local authorities that support the housing growth agenda”, and states the party backs regional or sub-regional co-operation in delivering homes.

It also commits the party to building 10 garden cities, and higher minimum standards for new build homes.

Despite the Lib Dems already being theoretically committed to a housing target significantly higher than any other major political party, the party is often viewed as campaigning on an anti-development platform locally, such as in the shock Chesham and Amersham by-election victory in 2021, and the recent Windsor and Maidenhead local election win from the Conservatives.