Will Wiltshire's Local Election Results Change Homebuilding Plans?

You can barely get through a newspaper these days without being reminded of the deep and growing challenge we face in the UK – Wiltshire included – from the under-provision of housing.

This isn’t just a market or policy issue; it is an issue that has very human consequences. Here at The House Group we see firsthand the impact of housing scarcity. It really is visible across society at large, from the growing problem of homelessness, and the increased strain on NHS services that the consequent mental health issues bring, to the fact that a lack of homes to rent or buy pushes prices higher – whether purchasing or renting.

Whilst property price growth is often seen as a positive sign of economic health, it can have the effect of stretching affordability to breaking point. Buyers and tenants alike can overextend themselves financially, regardless of what official calculators might say; and so, the cycle continues.

A National Story

It is against this now familiar backdrop that the Labour government came to power in the summer of 2024 promising bold action, with a pledge to build 1.5 million new homes to by 2029.

And yet, cracks have appeared behind closed doors.

According to Red Flag, the new book by Lord Ashcroft published last month, none other than Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has allegedly threatened to resign multiple times over what she reportedly views as an “impossible target.”

Her department denies the claim, but it is a story that has been picked up by several news outlets – and it certainly has raised questions about whether 1.5 million homes can be delivered. It is not always picked up, but it was the same target as previous governments over the last two or three decades, although they have normally promised ‘300,000 new homes per year’. So far, no government has come close.

Local Elections, Shifting Power Dynamics

On 1 May 2025, voters across much of England and Wales headed to the polls for local and mayoral elections.

The results might have meaning that goes far beyond party politics.

National headlines have understandably focused on the strong performance by Reform UK, especially in northern and coastal areas, as well as the Liberal Democrats’ resurgence across southern England. Both Labour and the Conservatives lost ground, not only council seats, but also key Westminster constituencies in concurrent by-elections. Mayoral elections also went the way of Reform in two newly formed mayoralties.

Much of the post-election coverage has zeroed in on narratives around immigration, protest-voting, the general reconfiguration of Britain’s political centre, and projections of where national politics might be in four years’ time. That is when we are next due a general election, and when it comes to big headlines, we tend to hear about politics in national terms.

But for the housing market, a quieter but potentially more impactful story might just lie in local politics, and how the results on May 1 might have changed the shape of local authorities. The reason for this is that, whilst central government sets the tone on planning policy, it is local councils that decide and see through what gets built.

Wiltshire: A Case Study in Political Reconfiguration

For 25 years, Wiltshire Council has been under Conservative control. That just changed two weeks ago. The Liberal Democrats surged to take 43 seats (up 16), whilst the Conservatives dropped to 37 (down 24). Reform UK entered the council for the first time – not the dramatic gains seen in other parts of the country but nevertheless winning 10 seats. The Green Party, far longer established, took no seats at all. Further to this, Independents took 7, and Labour was left with just 1 seat. Wiltshire Council has 98 seats in total and after May 1 no party held 50, required for a majority.

It means that Wiltshire now has a council under no overall control.

Nevertheless, its centre of gravity has clearly shifted – and this might matter when it comes to local plans for new housebuilding schemes locally.

Whilst political control is split, all the major parties now represented in Wiltshire – Lib Dems, Conservatives, and even Reform – share a broadly pro-building stance.

They do differ on how and where property building should be executed however. Reform, for example, advocates the fast-tracking of brownfield development and very much restricting green-belt intrusion. The Liberal Democrats – holding the lion’s share of seats but short of having that clear majority – support a mixed approach, favouring brownfield development where possible, but also condoning judicious use of 'grey belt' and. It is perhaps a break from a stance they held in years gone by, but demonstrates an openness to reviewing green-belt land as a means to tackling a wider housing crisis.

Wiltshire’s New Council and the Future of Housing

Prior to the election, under Conservative control, Wiltshire Council had committed to a significant ramp-up in housing delivery: 3,476 homes per year, up from the previous target of around 2,000. This figure, set to align with national ambitions, reflects Wiltshire's size and its role in absorbing regional population growth.

But Wiltshire has struggled to meet these targets. As of early 2025, its five-year housing land supply stood at just 4.71 years, short of the five-year requirement mandated by national planning policy.

In real terms, that gap suggests both an unmet housing need. Slightly out of date now, but a useful resource published in June 2024 can be found here, outlining Wiltshire’s housing and land supply.

It also represents an an opportunity: to use new political momentum to accelerate delivery.

With the council’s new constitution, there is perhaps reason to believe that the rate of planning approvals might increase; not in a carte-blanche way, but through a more pragmatic, collaborative lens.

Lib Dem councillors have tended to support housing when it fits with local plans – if it can live up to sustainability goals. Reform, meanwhile, brings a push for fast decision-making, particularly where development revitalises brownfield or underused areas.

A Cautiously Optimistic Outlook

Despite national questions about whether the 1.5 million home target is realistic, in Wiltshire there is some cause for optimism.

The political will to build appears to be intact… and possibly even strengthened.

Whilst no party has retained or gained overall control, the composition of the new council favours progress – something we do need if we are to see significant numbers of new homes built in the county each year, to meet our unmet housing demand.

As housing need grows and affordability stretches more local Wiltshire people and families to their limits, local action is not just helpful, it is frankly essential.

If Wiltshire is to meet or exceed its target in a hung council, it will require bold policy but more importantly cooperative politics. Oddly, as diametrically opposed to many things as members of our new-look council are, a need for more, better and more affordable housing tends to unite them all.

When it comes to housing. with our newly diversified council, Wiltshire may be better positioned now than it has been in decades to deliver.