Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has confirmed Peter Freeman as Chair of Homes England, the Government’s housing delivery body.
Freeman, one of the most distinguished figures in the housebuilding industry is well known for his work to regenerate Kings Cross and a track record of planning and delivering much needed revival of local areas, creating imaginative economic centres and places people want to visit and live.
As Chair, Freeman will be expected transform how Homes England operates, driving delivery of much needed homes and infrastructure to support economic recovery, help protect 2.3 million construction jobs, and ensure opportunities are spread across England.
Working with developers of all sizes and supporting new ways to build, he will spearhead Homes England’s support for a more diverse and efficient housebuilding industry.
Homes England will also support the Government in laying foundations to deliver more homes by working in partnership with local areas, offering expert support to councils towards getting more homes built and ensuring the supporting infrastructure is in place.
The decision to appoint Peter Freeman is subject to a pre-appointment scrutiny committee hearing with the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee. Should he be successful he will serve a three-year term in the role.
Housing Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: “As the visionary behind the revival of Kings Cross, Peter has a track record of world-class regeneration and it is this, along with his drive to create places people want to live that makes him a superb candidate to support our ambitious housing agenda.
“We will work closely on our shared goal to deliver more homes, of high-quality design and environmental standards, where green spaces and new parks are close at hand and tree lined streets are the norm – creating communities that people want to be a part of.”
Peter Freeman said: “Homes England has a vital role to play in improving the lives of all those affected by the housing crisis. If appointed, and working closely with government, I believe we can, and must, deliver on the promise to provide homes to allow all to experience a better quality of life.
“The key is not only in building the necessary quantity, quality and variety of housing, but in creating homes where people can enjoy a real sense of belonging to vibrant communities.”
More about Homes England
As the Government’s ‘housing accelerator’, its responsibilities include:
- Unlocking public and private land for development where the market cannot do it alone
- Ensuring investment products are available to support housebuilding and infrastructure, including more affordable housing and homes for rent through the Government’s new affordable homes programme
- Improving construction productivity through increased use of modern methods
- Creating a more competitive and sustainable market by supporting smaller builders and new entrants, and promoting better design and higher quality homes
- Offering expert support to local authorities for priority locations to support more ambitious plans to get more homes built
- Delivering Government-backed financial products including ‘Help to Buy’ to increase home ownership
Peter Freeman
Peter Freeman is the co-founder and a Non-Executive Director of the property developer Argent Group and Chair of Mayfield Market Towns Ltd. Previous roles include:
- Publisher of ‘Freeman Guide to the Property Market’
- Non-Executive Director of the Land Securities property company
- Non-Executive Director of the MEPC property company
- Chair of the property industry steering group ‘Investment Property Forum’
- Chair of Judging Panel for the ‘Home of 2030’ competition
- Awarded CBE in recognition of his services to housing and communities
- Principle author of the industry report ‘Housing Sprint’
Should Peter Freeman be confirmed as Chair of Homes England, he plans to step down as Chair of Mayfield Market Towns to avoid any perceived conflict of interest.