The government must invest in the UK’s roads if it is to successfully deliver its plans to build thousands of new homes across the country, the RHA warned this week.
The call comes as the government revealed where more than 70,000 social and affordable homes will be built in England over the next 10 years, as part of an initial allocation of almost £10bn, which is aimed to tackle the housing crisis.
Funding has been granted to Greater Manchester, the West Midlands, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, North East England, and Liverpool. An additional £6bn has already been announced for London.
The tranche of 70,000 new homes is the first part of a wider plan to build 300,000 social and affordable homes across the nation, under the government’s £39bn social housebuilding programme.
Commenting on the announcement, Richard Smith, RHA MD, warned that the government’s plans must incude road improvements.
He said: “We welcome the announcement of 70,000 new social and affordable homes. But you cannot build homes, regenerate communities or grow local economies without road transport and logistics.
“Every brick, every roof tile and every load of aggregate for those new homes will arrive by road, along with the plant, equipment and people.
He warned: “Housing developments are too often refused planning permission because of underinvestment on the highways network.
“Poor roads are stopping housing plans. When ministers and mayors talk about the infrastructure that comes with new homes, that has to mean quality roads, not just rail.
“Housebuilding targets will only be reached by getting spades in the ground soon to provide modern and efficient road networks that connect communities.
“We’re ready to work with decision-makers at all levels to get this right.”
