Over four in five people (82%) do not believe the Government will achieve its target of building 1.5 million new homes during the current Parliament, a new study by Family Building Society has highlighted.

Responding to a survey by the society, its members were also quizzed on several ways to help the Government in its ambitions.

While reinstating a Help to Buy scheme was advocated by 27% of respondents, reforming the planning system was seen as a greater priority with 41% in favour of reform.

Just over half of Family Building Society members suggested encouraging building on brownfield sites and on land that already had planning permission, as well as scrapping stamp duty for downsizers.

Nearly half of members thought incentivising landlords to turn commercial properties into residential use would also help and as well as increasing the infrastructure levy to support local communities.

Director of marketing at Family Building Society, Alistair Nimmo, said: “Our members have delivered a stark verdict on the Government’s ambitious housebuilding target. In their minds it is just not achievable through the current policy mix.

“However, they make some valid suggestions of what measures the Government could take to help provide additional homes. Developing brownfield sites and repurposing existing and empty commercial property, for example. They also highlight Stamp Duty Land Tax as a major disincentive for older people to move and free up more of the existing housing stock.

“Ending the stamp duty holiday and the subsequent reinstatement of the lower thresholds on 1 April was a mistake and it is interesting to note that most of our members favoured scrapping it for downsizers which will free up more properties for growing families.”

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