Prime Minister Andy Burnham has set his sights on accelerating the development of much-needed social housing. In his first two speeches as PM, the Labour Party leader has promised to “build more council homes” and to give local areas “more power’ over delivering new housing. 

This is nothing new for Burnham of course. In his three terms as Mayor of Greater Manchester, a major part of his work involved delivering “Manchesterism”: a programme for transformation focused on a streamlined, place-based delivery model. Building on this Manchesterism nationally, Burnham is proposing even greater devolution of decision-making powers to local authorities to accelerate the delivery of more social housing and facilitate closer partnerships between the state and businesses. 

Can Manchesterism work nationally?

A consistent national framework that goes beyond grant funding is needed. Manchester is a prime example of how partnerships between local authorities, housing associations and developers can support regeneration, investment and housing delivery but for this housing strategy to work nationally, significant policy changes will be needed.

The task at hand

It has been reported recently that only 52% of homes granted planning permission since 2012-13 have been completed. These figures indicate there are multiple delivery challenges. Whilst there are many reasons behind the delays, be it rising costs, safety concerns, or issues with viability, taking a more collaborative, place-based approach and empowering councils to address issues with developers will help to drive development activity and reduce the number of unfinished housing developments scattered across the country. Now it’s time for a new national housing strategy to be rolled out. 

But Burnham’s ambitions go beyond simply increasing housing numbers. This new Government wants to deliver “the biggest council house building programme since the post-war period” and to achieve this, the PM will need to use policies that have been shown to be effective. But to deliver this level of change nationally, he needs to go further. The sector needs certainty over long-term grant funding, but this is going to be difficult for cash-strapped councils to deliver. Councils will need partners to deliver and manage this new housing. We’re more likely to see closer working with housing associations and joint investment models. 

What can we expect from the new PM?

Andy Burnham is passionate about delivering safer, high-quality housing and stronger protections for residents, and his premiership comes at a time of significant regulatory reform. Whilst Awaab’s Law and the Renters’ Rights Act (amongst others) are making properties safer, they are also pushing up the costs for landlords. Funding must come from somewhere, so we could see a pause on more regulatory changes in the short term as a result.

Committed to a progressive approach, Burnham could take changes to leasehold and commonhold properties up a gear and right to buy policy is expected to face scrutiny. Even if he doesn’t choose to abolish right to buy, lowering the amount to the right to acquire equivalent could be the compromise he is looking for. 

Manchesterism is an example of what can be achieved when housing providers, councils and the public sector work together with a shared goal. If done correctly, with the support of national frameworks, long-term funding certainty and greater devolution, Burnham’s government could change the nation’s housing market for good. To succeed, he must start by empowering local leaders, giving them the resources, certainty and responsibility to succeed. 

Key takeaways

• Andy Burnham’s Manchesterism has been successful -  increasing social rent housing figures in Greater Manchester from 78 in 2017-18 to 633 in 2024-25.
• This was achieved by encouraging local authorities, housing developers, and the public sector to collaborate.
• But for this to work at a national level, the sector needs a reliable national framework and long-term funding certainty.
• Ever-increasing public-sector debt means further funding is unlikely to materialise. We’re more likely to see closer working between local authorities and with housing associations, and joint investment models.
• More regulatory reform is unlikely at this stage, as there has already been so much. The new national housing strategy will prioritise collaboration, with a shared goal in mind.