Build Baby Build

Part one of a new series from Vicky Spratt of the I newspaper exploring the state of housing in Britain. 'Build baby build' is a driving mission for Keir Starmer's Labour government- with a target of 1.5 million new homes in England.

But can they do it? Experts line up to tell us they can't. To explore what's getting in the way, we travel to Derbyshire, the Midlands and Home Counties, getting inside the often fractious debate about new housing, delving into the complexities of the planning system, and the 'nimbyism' phenomenon.

UK government ministers tell us the government can meet the 1.5 million new homes target but acknowledge it requires a steep step up in housebuilding towards the end of the parliament.

And as they embark on a plan for 12 new towns in England, what lessons can they learn from one that's being built right now? We visit Houlton in Warwickshire, a thriving new community - complete with relocated newts - on the site of an old radio transmission site.

Clarification: We reported an anecdotal observation about the size of the newts at Houlton. It was not made by an ecologist. We believe the newts in question which were the ‘size of a paper clip’ may have been juvenile newts.

Producer: Leela Padmanabhan
Sound Design: Hal Haines