Policy background Housing supply and the speed of delivery
Following the financial crisis, housebuilding in England fell to its lowest point in the post-war era. Since 2010-11, where completions totalled 108,000, the number of new homes built in England has been on the rise, reaching 124,000 completions in the financial year 2014-15 (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/house-building-statistics). But this number is far short of the number estimated that is required to keep up with the existing demand, with the figure in some cases ranging from 200,000 to 300,000 per year.
	This Act puts in place various tools for housebuilders and decision-makers in local authorities to support and promote an increase in housing supply and at a quicker pace. It also puts forward a number of reforms that are aimed at streamlining the planning system to help speed up the delivery of housing.