The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has said the government’s new investment in social and affordable housing creates an opportunity not only to increase housing delivery, but to rethink how homes are planned and supported by infrastructure, local leadership and regeneration.

RTPI Director of Communications and External Affairs, Simon Creer, said: “This central funding should help thousands of families gain access to a home. More than that, this investment should also free up private developers to shift their focus to providing the infrastructure that communities need to turn these houses into thriving communities.

“If a successful local authority acts as the master planner for the delivery of these family homes, there are further benefits. By taking a flexible approach to parcelling up land, they could allow smaller developers to build for their own communities. We would also hope that a grant funding approach like this could provide a significant return on investment, making brownfield regeneration more viable and appealing.

“Overall, our members throughout the country will be able to support and guide the development of these homes into something of genuine value for their areas.”