The Liberal Democrats have confirmed their pledge to build 380,000 homes a year as the party published its manifesto ahead of the upcoming 4 July election.

The commitment has been in place since 2021 but was close to being dropped last year after a revolt of the party membership. The LibDems have now confirmed their pledge to build 380,000 homes a year, adding that they would take a second look at HS2’s northern leg. It would also see 150,000 social homes built each year and the construction of ten new garden cities across the UK. 

Neighbourhood planning would be expanded, planning departments would be better funded and ‘use it or lose it’ rules would be put in place to force developers to build on sites which they own. 

The 117-page document includes proposals to offer free insulation and heat pumps for those on low incomes, expanding incentives for households to install solar panels and a boosted roll out of electric vehicle charging points. 

All new homes would be required to be built at a zero-carbon standard with solar panels, and requirements for landlords to upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes to EPC C or above by 2028, scrapped by Rishi Sunak last year, would be reintroduced.