<p><span>The government must “take action” to remove barriers to housebuilding if it wishes to meet its target of 300,000 new homes a year, according to the House of Lords Built Environment Committee.</span></p> <p><span>Publishing its report, </span><i>Meeting Housing Demand</i><span>, following an inquiry into the demand for new UK housing and how the obstacles to meeting the need can be overcome, the Built Environment Committee stated that too many people were currently living in “expensive, unsuitable and poor quality homes” with the need to increase housing supply to combat the housing crisis.</span></p> <p><span>In its report, the Committee highlighted the plight of SME housebuilders, the UK’s ageing population, planning reforms and skills shortages. It stated that the SME contingent needed support through reduced planning risk, more small sites being available and increased access to finance.</span></p> <p><span>Other highlights from the report include the need for more specialist and mainstream housing for the elderly, with the Committee pointing out that by 2050, one in four people in the UK will be over 65.</span></p> <p><span>And on planning, the Committee stated that delayed reforms had brought a “chilling effect” to housebuilding, creating uncertainty for housebuilders and planners. The report called for more up-to-date local plans which were …