It’s been reported over the weekend that the independent Office for Budget Responsibility predicts Labour will miss its target of 1.5m new homes in England by the end of this Parliament.

The OBR predicts that 1.3m homes will be built during that time over the whole UK. Looking at England alone, only 1.1m will be built – some 400,000 fewer than Labour’s manifesto commitment.

The office says its forecast does not take account of reforms to the planning system which the government hopes will lead to the speeding up of planning decisions, with the default being to grant consent rather than refuse.

The Home Builders Federation tells the Sunday Times: “[This forecast] illustrates the challenge that the government faces to increase housing supply.

“The planning changes introduced are very positive, but to achieve its target further policy levers will have to be pulled.

“Ensuring local authority planning departments have sufficient capacity to process applications efficiently is key. The government also needs to do more to support prospective buyers access suitable mortgage finance.”