Chapman Taylor contributes to New Radix Big Tent Housing Commission Report highlighting barriers to meeting UK housing targets

Chapman Taylor is proud to be part of the multi-disciplinary Radix Big Tent Housing Commission, which today publishes its second report: Unblocking the Housing Ecosystem. The report sets out nine key barriers to delivering the UK Government’s ambition of building 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament, offering practical and immediate recommendations to overcome them.

As one of the Commission’s consulting architecture and design experts, Chapman Taylor has contributed insight on design quality, planning constraints, and the role of sustainable and inclusive housing in unlocking long-term value across the sector. The Commission includes a diverse panel of developers, investors, planners, architects, academics and legal professionals, and is chaired by housing expert Alex Notay.

The report highlights systemic issues hindering progress, including a lack of understanding around the economics of housebuilding, skills shortages, and overly rigid regulatory frameworks. It calls for targeted interventions such as:

• More flexible requirements for housing tenure on development sites

• Sensible streamlining of tall building regulations

• Reclassification of housing as national infrastructure

• Stabilisation of local government planning and decision-making

Commenting on the report, Chapman Taylor Director Michael Swiszczowski said:

“Delivering the volume and quality of homes the UK needs requires joined-up thinking and cross-sector collaboration. This report is a valuable step in shaping policy that supports the realities of development on the ground, while enabling design-led, community-focused outcomes.”

The Commission’s first report, Beyond the Permacrisis – Delivering 1,000 Homes a Day, was published in October 2024. This second paper continues the call for a holistic approach to housing delivery, with recommendations designed to inject renewed dynamism into a stalled system.

The Radix Big Tent Housing Commission is supported by Chapman Taylor, GAA, the National Residential Landlords Association, Shoosmiths, Vistry Group, and the Wates Group. It was launched in March 2024 under the chairpersonship of Dame Kate Barker, author of the landmark Barker Review of Housing Supply.

Ben Rich, Chief Executive of Radix Big Tent, added:

“Too much policy is made in isolation from the practical realities of development. We believe this report will help shape a more responsive housing ecosystem—one that finally delivers the homes this country so urgently needs.”

The report highlights systemic issues hindering progress, including a lack of understanding around the economics of housebuilding, skills shortages, and overly rigid regulatory frameworks. It calls for targeted interventions such as:

• Ease rigidity in tenure and accommodation policy to better reflect current market and local needs.
• Reclassify grant funding for affordable housing as infrastructure to ensure viability.
• Streamline safety regulations (especially for tall buildings) to unlock investment and speed approvals.
• Support mixed-use/mixed-tenure development by enabling local authorities to acquire land for parcel-out to diverse builders.
• End annual local elections in thirds, stabilising local authority leadership.
• Masterplan large sites and extend ‘Permissions in Principle’ to speed up smaller-scale development.

Commenting on the report, Chapman Taylor Director Michael Swiszczowski said:

“Delivering the volume and quality of homes the UK needs requires joined-up thinking and cross-sector collaboration. This report is a valuable step in shaping policy that supports the realities of development on the ground, while enabling design-led, community-focused outcomes.”

The Commission’s first report, Beyond the Permacrisis – Delivering 1,000 Homes a Day, was published in October 2024. This second paper continues the call for a holistic approach to housing delivery, with recommendations designed to inject renewed dynamism into a stalled system.

The Radix Big Tent Housing Commission is supported by Chapman Taylor, GAA, the National Residential Landlords Association, Shoosmiths, Vistry Group, and the Wates Group. It was launched in March 2024 under the chairpersonship of Dame Kate Barker, author of the landmark Barker Review of Housing Supply.

Ben Rich, Chief Executive of Radix Big Tent, added:

“Too much policy is made in isolation from the practical realities of development. We believe this report will help shape a more responsive housing ecosystem—one that finally delivers the homes this country so urgently needs.”