A building association boss said Labor should impose a 10-year ban on greenfield development and introduce a stamp duty holiday scheme for downsizers to boost the housing market in 2025.
Mark Bogarde, chief executive of the Family Building Society, says the government's plans to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years will only play a small role in solving Britain's housing crisis. speak In the past five years, the country has built about 1 million homes. 
He argues that Deputy Prime Minister Angela Reiner's proposed plan “cannot reliably solve the housing crisis because the annual new construction target (370,000 units) represents only 1% of the existing housing stock.” .
Mr Bogard said: “She needs to focus on the other 99% and also on developing brownfields rather than greenfields, which are easier to develop and have less opposition.
“If I were her, I would ban greenfield development for 10 years.”
Under the government's new planning rules, local councils will be required to adopt a brownfields-first approach, but will be required to “review green belt boundaries and identify low-quality 'gray belt' land to meet targets”. need to be prioritized.
Mr Bogard also says giving a stamp duty holiday to homeowners who want stamp duty relief would go a long way in increasing supply, especially for growing families.
Mutual Representatives said: “Giving downsizers a stamp duty holiday will also force older people out of less vacant housing, effectively increasing housing supply. ” states.
However, if anything, the government seems to be trying to tighten stamp duty.
Stamp duty changes will be brought forward in early April, meaning tax relief for first-time buyers paying up to £425,000 for a home will not be extended.
Bogard is also bearish about the benchmark interest rate being cut this year, predicting that there will only be two cuts in 2025.
He said: “After the Bank of England left interest rates unchanged at 4.75% on December 19, the market now expects rates to be cut by 0.25% in 2025 to 4.25%, with only two cuts in 2025. are.
“But if you look at what's happening in the euro area where both France and Germany have been hit and interest rates are falling, interest rates could be lowered.”
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey last month raised the benchmark interest rate from the current 4.75% and said he expected four “gradual” cuts of 0.25% this year.
