Good growth in every postcode, hope in every heart: The Burnham Growth Bus is revving up
Devolution, devolution, devolution. Power to the people is the key element of “Manchesterism” – what Burham has often described as “business-friendly socialism”, which Andy Burnham placed at the heart of his vision for a 10-year plan of inclusive growth across the United Kingdom. But what does it mean for planning, development and regeneration?
Perhaps the biggest promise is on council housing. Burnham pledged what he described as the largest programme of council housebuilding since the post-war period, positioning social housing as central both to tackling housing costs and easing pressure on public finances.
You can see how important he sees decent housing in the economic and social health of the country. Look at this section of the speech:
“…And having this focus on council homes again and building them in all parts of the country, it will represent a decisive shift to a more preventative productive state, adopting a national housing first philosophy as has been pioneered so successfully in Finland. If you don't give people a good home, what chance have they got of having a good life?”
Here is was before in a speech he gave in 2025:
“We want to adopt the Finnish philosophy of "housing first." If housing isn't sorted for people, nothing else can be. Housing is the foundation on which everything else is built.”
It isn’t only council housing either – Burnham has talked about housing people can afford, a clear sign that house numbers matter as much as tenancy type. Higher density development in town centres to regenerate and support high streets also gets the nod, alongside support for pubs and high street businesses:
To reinforce that, we will reform business rates to support pubs and high street businesses, businesses that bring social benefits to communities…Rather than being a marker of decline, shouldn't we make our high streets the new symbol of Britain's renaissance?”
The way he proposed to deliver this, and other good growth such as sovereign capacity in key industries, is key.
Devolution is the delivery mechanism and the radical shift in government by which he proposes to deliver good growth. His core planning proposition is to shift decision-making and resources out of Whitehall, with a proposed “No. 10 North” in Manchester acting as the furnace and factory for regional delivery. The aim is to put greater local and sub-regional strategic planning and control in place to drive housing, infrastructure and growth priorities rather than a predominantly top-down model.
He framed new homes within a wider economic strategy, involving reindustrialisation, reform of essential utilities, and regeneration of places built on local skills and public-service reform. Housing and employment are repositioned as place-based regeneration rather than simply meeting numerical targets.
The speech did not set out specific changes to national planning rules, Green Belt policy, development-management procedures, housing targets or funding mechanisms. He reaffirmed existing fiscal rules, but there are no details yet on how the scale of housing ambition would be financed. Yet it is also notable that he cites his plans as being consistent with Labour’s 2024 manifesto – expect no change but acceleration on local government reform, 100% coverage of sub-regional strategic authorities with mayors to follow, and renewed muscle behind further planning reform.
The key takeaway is that Burnham’s growth bus is fuelled by locally led, infrastructure-backed housing growth with a stronger social-housing component, with local and strategic authorities with enhanced powers at the steering wheel. Ding ding, all aboard the devo bus!
Duncan Enright
