Greater Manchester housing blueprint targets 14,400 homes annually

HBF Sets Out Housing Priorities for Greater Manchester Mayor

The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has published a comprehensive manifesto ahead of the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election, calling on the incoming mayor to use devolved powers to accelerate housebuilding and tackle affordability challenges across the city region.

The manifesto outlines a series of recommendations designed to increase housing delivery, attract investment and support economic growth. The HBF argues that Greater Manchester is uniquely positioned to demonstrate how devolved decision-making and strategic planning can help address national housing shortages, particularly as Prime Minister Andy Burnham—the region's former mayor—prepares to strengthen Manchester's role in national politics through the creation of a "Number 10 North".

Economic Case for Hitting Housing Targets

According to the HBF's analysis, meeting Greater Manchester's annual Standard Method housing target of 14,400 homes would deliver significant economic benefits. The federation estimates that achieving this target would support around 50,000 jobs annually, generate £3.2bn in economic activity, deliver £650m of investment in affordable housing and create £90m of investment in new infrastructure, including £40m directed towards schools. Local businesses would also benefit from more than £400m in additional spending.

Despite these compelling figures, Greater Manchester has outperformed national trends on housing delivery in recent years. The city region completed an average of 10,650 homes annually over the past five years and recorded a 1.3% increase in completions during 2024/25, compared with a 6% fall across England. This suggests existing momentum could be built upon with the right policy framework.

Affordability Crisis Across the Region

However, housing affordability remains a significant concern. The HBF warns that affordability has deteriorated across all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs over the past two decades, with house prices rising faster than earnings. The data paints a concerning picture: across the North West, the proportion of households owning a home with a mortgage has fallen from 39% to 28%, whilst the share of private renters has more than doubled.

Neil Jefferson, chief executive of the HBF, stated: "There is a real opportunity for the next Mayor of Greater Manchester to accelerate housing delivery and show how strong devolved leadership can help tackle the housing crisis. With greater powers over planning, transport and skills, the incoming Mayor can create the conditions that allow more homes to be built in the right places, support local jobs and investment, and make home ownership more achievable for thousands of people across the region."

Key Policy Recommendations

The manifesto calls on the incoming mayor to prepare a new Spatial Development Strategy, allocate more small sites for SME housebuilders and continue prioritising brownfield development in sustainable locations close to public transport. These recommendations reflect a focus on ensuring housing is delivered efficiently and in locations that reduce transport pressures.

The HBF also wants the Mayor to collaborate with government, Homes England and mortgage lenders to improve access to home ownership—addressing what the federation identifies as a critical barrier to first-time buyers. Additionally, the manifesto recommends strengthening links between the construction industry and further education providers to help address skills shortages affecting the sector.

Further progress will depend on overcoming national challenges, including limited support for first-time buyers, development viability pressures, affordable housing funding constraints and under-resourced planning departments. The federation notes that "increased taxes and policy costs, alongside suppressed demand due to a lack of affordable mortgage lending and no Government support for buyers, are preventing builders from increasing housing supply."

Investors seeking to identify emerging opportunities in the region should monitor how the mayoral campaign evolves and track planning applications as new strategic priorities emerge. The emphasis on small sites for SME builders and brownfield development could create attractive below-market-value opportunities for savvy investors.

Source: Property Industry Eye.