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Get Britain Building argues that success in construction should be measured not only by how many homes are built, but also by whether they create connected, safe and durable places, support a broad range of households and strengthen the UK’s capacity to build. In a campaign commentary published on 30 September 2026, Mike Leonard presents this as a way to link housing delivery with jobs, skills and economic resilience—not as an official government policy statement.
What does “better places” mean?
Leonard’s argument shifts the measure of housebuilding from completed units alone to the quality of the places and homes created. He calls for homes that are connected to transport and public services, affordable, safe and durable, and suitable for a wider range of household needs. As he puts it: “It is not all about numbers. We must also focus on creating better places — well connected to transport and public services and designed to meet the needs of a wide demographic.” Get Britain Building, 30 September 2026
That approach has practical implications for both site planning and housing mix. The commentary argues for a range that includes two-, three- and four-bedroom houses, bungalows and apartments, rather than a narrow focus on one type of home. The aim is to connect the number of homes delivered with whether people can find housing that fits their household and daily life.
How should housing delivery support communities and the economy?
The campaign links construction investment to employment, economic activity and housing supply. Leonard argues that investment should be brought forward, that building should be sustained over time, and that private and social housing delivery should be balanced in a way that can adapt to economic cycles. These are recommendations in the commentary, not verified current government commitments.
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The article attributes a £2.84 return across the wider economy for every £1 invested in construction. It does not identify the underlying study or explain the methodology, so the figure should be read as a claim made by the article rather than an independently established multiplier. The campaign homepage also cites at least 373,000 direct jobs across almost 24,000 companies and annual turnover above £62.1 billion, but does not state the figures’ data year or original source. Get Britain Building campaign homepage
Leonard also argues that housing and construction investment should help build domestic capacity and skills. His proposed areas include nuclear, hydrogen, renewable energy and water infrastructure; reservoir construction; putting electricity cables underground; maintaining the gas network during the transition; and producing photovoltaic panels and heat pumps domestically. These are advocacy proposals, not evidence that the capacity or specific projects are already in place.
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Why skills belong in the discussion
The commentary treats construction training and skilled employment as part of economic resilience. On this view, investment should develop not only buildings and infrastructure, but also the people and industry capability needed to deliver and maintain them.
What makes a new home more resilient?
Leonard recommends planning for hazards such as overheating, flooding and wildfire, alongside building safety. He calls for attention to non-combustible materials and to design choices including orientation, thermal mass, ventilation, shading and shutters. These points are his recommendations; the commentary does not provide independently supported comparisons of material performance, including for timber construction.
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For a real project, the useful question is how its design responds to the risks and conditions at that site, rather than whether a general list of measures has been included. The campaign commentary raises these considerations but does not supply a technical specification, risk assessment or performance threshold.
How can we tell whether housing works for residents?
Counting completions cannot show on its own whether a home performs as intended or suits the people living in it. Leonard proposes using sensors and building-performance data alongside interviews with residents. This combines measured conditions in a building with occupants’ accounts of comfort and experience. The commentary connects this approach to Birmingham City University’s Centre for Future Homes.
The distinction matters: performance data can help identify how a building behaves, while resident feedback can reveal how that performance affects everyday life. Neither measure alone answers every question about a place, but together they offer a broader basis for assessing outcomes than unit numbers alone.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A broader framework for judging proposals
A 2016 report by the House of Lords Select Committee on National Policy for the Built Environment described sustainable development as having “three dimensions”: economic, social and environmental. That report is historical context, not a statement of current policy, but its framework helps explain why a housing proposal can be assessed on more than delivery volume. House of Lords Select Committee, Building better places (2016)
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For comparing projects or policy proposals, the priorities in Leonard’s commentary and this broader framework suggest asking:
- How many homes are planned, and what is the proposed balance of tenures?
- Are the homes affordable and suitable for different household sizes and needs?
- How well are they connected to transport and public services?
- How does the design address safety and risks such as overheating, flood and fire?
- What skills, jobs and domestic supply-chain capacity could the work support?
- Will building performance and residents’ experience be monitored after completion?
These questions provide a way to examine trade-offs; they are not a quantified scoring system. The central point is that a high delivery figure cannot, by itself, establish whether homes are suitable, resilient or well connected.
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