There are many challenges facing our members in today’s society.

The cost of housing has skyrocketed over the past 14 years. The dream of owning a home is becoming more and more of an unattainable for young people. While home owners find it harder to make ends meet.

Individuals and industries have been hit hard by energy prices as we see the cost of our energy rise higher than similar nations on the continent.

All of this impacts our members who see the challenges in their own lives from worrying about the future of their children to making it harder for the companies that they work for to compete on the international markets.

The answers to the problems are not simple, but one answer that is clear to us is the need to reform planning within the UK.

To put it clearly – we need to build more.

We need to build more homes to ensure that homeownership does not become an unattainable dream, so younger generations are not locked into high private renting, and so we have the social housing that our communities need.

We need to build more sources of energy so we can protect our planet, bring down the essential energy costs that have dominated people’s finances, and make our industries more competitive.

Planning reform won’t be easy.

Balancing local environmental concerns with the wider environmental needs of the planet. Preserving the identity of towns while building the houses we need. Building new energy sources quickly while maintaining safety standards.

It won't be easy, but it must be done and it can be done.

We’ve seen with the Labour Government an ambition to do more. 1.5 million new homes that are so sorely needed. GB energy driving forwards the UK’s aim to become a green energy superpower on the world stage. Now is the time to take on the challenge of planning reform to deliver these programmes for the people of the UK.

Beyond the end bricks and mortar benefits of planning reform we can see the wider benefits of building more in our nation. Reforming procurement with planning to use more of our domestic steel to build the foundations of our future. Delivering more well-paid jobs across the UK, meaning more money in our local communities as one example of how we can seize the opportunities available.

It won’t be easy, but it is necessary and this report lays out some of the pathways to building a better Britain for the future.

Dominic Armstrong
Head of Policy and Communications, Community Union