The big ask for Burnham
Prime Minister Andy Burnham will begin his tenure at No10 today. Here are what senior figures in the built environment, local politics, and education want to see him prioritise.
Place Media Group reached out to leaders in the North and Midlands with one simple question: What is your one big ask for Burnham?
There were common threads from the responses we received from the likes of East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward, Harworth Group chief executive Lynda Shillaw, WSP UK and Ireland executive managing director for property and buildings Andy Temple, and many more.
There was a desire for more devolution, a need for a focus on skills, and a clear push to cut through bureaucracy to accelerate delivery.
You can see their one big Burnham ask, and the reason their request matters, below. Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Push devolution
‘Deliver a devolution revolution.’
Cllr Louise Gittins, chair of Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority and Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council
“Andy has always been a believer in moving power closer to local communities and I know from working with him that he will deliver on that as Prime Minister.
“Bringing power closer to people, through combined authorities and local councils, away from Westminster and Whitehall, will mean we can deliver the change that our communities want – projects and policies that reflect local needs, designed with them, and delivered by people who really know those communities.”
‘Devolve skills and employment responsibilities for all young people aged 16+ to Mayors. This will enable local leaders to provide seamless support from education into employment, training, and apprenticeships’
Claire Ward, Mayor of East Midlands
“To ensure every young person has fair access to opportunity, we need the powers to support them earlier, helping them navigate education, employment and training pathways that lead to successful futures and reduce the risk of becoming disconnected from work or learning.”
‘Give major city centres like Birmingham greater long-term fiscal powers and investment certainty so they can deliver the public realm, skills, and business environments needed to drive national economic growth’
Alex Tross, deputy chair of Birmingham Colmore Business District and partner and head of agency at Carter Jonas
“Birmingham city centre is one of the UK’s most significant economic engines. Empowering cities like ours with the tools to invest, plan and grow over the long term will unlock jobs, productivity and tax revenues that benefit the whole country.”
Think long-term
‘Give the UK a 15-year, cross-party infrastructure, housing, and regeneration funding settlement that cannot be reset at every Spending Review or election cycle’
Mark Dewhurst, Manchester office managing partner at Ridge
“As someone working across the North’s property and construction market, I would argue that the sector’s biggest challenge is not a lack of ambition, land, development opportunities or investor appetite – it’s uncertainty. Developers, contractors, consultants, housing providers and institutional investors can plan over 10-15 year horizons, but government funding and policy often operate in three-to-five-year cycles. The result is delayed schemes, increased costs, reduced productivity, and missed opportunities for growth.”
‘Give developers, councils, combined authorities, and national partners like Homes England the long-term funding certainty and clear delivery responsibilities to accelerate the creation of new communities’
Myles Harley, managing director of Caddick Developments
“Large-scale projects like our Maltkiln and Langwith Village new communities take decades to deliver and must outlast political cycles. Long-term partnerships, backed by stable funding and clear accountability, are essential to unlocking the homes, infrastructure and jobs needed to drive sustainable economic growth.”
‘Put place-based regeneration at the heart of the UK’s growth agenda by giving local leaders the long-term certainty needed to unlock investment, housing, and infrastructure’
Andy Temple, executive managing director for property and buildings at WSP UK and Ireland
“This matters because sustainable growth happens when government, local leaders and business work together to create investable places that attract capital, create jobs and strengthen communities.”
Accelerate housing delivery…
‘Tackle the regulatory burden, unjustified hold-ups, and looming threat of increased taxes to prevent annual housing delivery numbers from getting even worse’
Richard Mees, chief executive of Redford Developments
“The current viability challenges mean there is a lack of sites coming through. Landowners who aren’t in a rush are simply holding onto their property assets, hoping things will improve. There has never been another time like this when there is strong national demand for more housing, but such a lacklustre market.”
‘Introduce a time-limited national cut to planning-related costs, in particular: the community infrastructure levy, biodiversity net gain, and affordable housing’
Richard Frudd, senior director and head of Leeds at Quod
“While these requirements deliver important social and environmental benefits, a temporary reduction could help restore development viability, unlock investment, and accelerate growth; enabling more projects to come forward and deliver these outcomes at greater scale.”
‘Prioritise the unveiling of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme’
Sandy Livingstone, chief executive of Onward Homes
SAHP is a 10-year grant funding programme from Homes England to support the delivery of affordable housing. SAHP has £27.3bn to invest in housing outside of London. A small number of projects that will receive SAHP support have been revealed, with more due to be announced in the coming months.
“The sector stands primed and ready to capitalise on the biggest investment into affordable housing in decades, delivering social housing at scale and pace to support people and communities right across the country.”
‘Deliver a sustained, fully funded 5–10 year investment programme in social rent housing, supporting the regeneration of older estates while devolving greater powers to regions and local leaders to shape housing solutions for their communities’
Wayne Gethings, group chief executive at Housing Plus Group
“More social rent homes mean fewer people in housing need, stronger communities and better opportunities for individuals and families to thrive.”
‘Ensure local planning authorities have the funding, skills, and statutory powers to deliver the homes, infrastructure, and economic growth that the country needs.’
Sandra Manson, executive director of planning at Pegasus Group
“That goes to the heart of the planning profession: not whether more development should happen, but whether local authorities have the capacity and tools to make it happen well, which is the single biggest risk across the country for delivering on the ground. The answer cannot be to simply place greater expectations on an already overstretched planning system.”
‘Have a plan to improve housing affordability and availability’
Paul Dodsworth, group managing director of Caddick Construction Group
“Improving housing affordability and availability is vital to social and economic stability, sustainable regeneration and improving public transport connectivity, and in order to meet future demand, it requires a clear, coordinated policy to guide planning, drive investment in brownfield development and support the training of a new workforce across all regions.”
…but don’t forget about the housing market
‘Put housing demand back at the heart of government policy by supporting first-time buyers and reducing the tax burden on people moving home’
John Hickman, group land director for Tara Group and Cameron Homes
“The housing market cannot function on supply-side reforms alone; boosting demand will increase confidence, accelerate delivery, and help more people achieve homeownership while creating jobs and driving economic growth.”
‘Follow through on the property tax reform he’s talked about for over a decade and scrap stamp duty for good’
Jonathan Wilson, founder of Citu
“Burnham has long argued stamp duty punishes people for moving – in the toughest sales market we’ve seen, now is the moment to deliver that promise.”
Refocus politics on people
‘Put people and place at the centre of every major policy decision, recognising that the greatest solutions are often created closest to the communities they service’
Chithra Marsh, director at Buttress
“National ambition should be shaped by regional expertise, not simply delivered to it. The future of our towns and cities depends on recognising that when we invest in well-designed places and harness both local insight and national leadership, we unlock innovation, strengthen economies, and improve quality of life for generations to come.
‘Cut through the noise by listening to what people want, reconnecting politics with communities across the UK and delivering real improvements in the lives of everyday working people’
Ros Jones, Elected Mayor of Doncaster
“There is too much that is performative about politics, with excessive focus on slogans and soundbites rather than solutions. Places like Doncaster are ambitious and can be catalysts for economic growth, contributing to driving the UK economy forwards. By backing the people’s priorities, like the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport and bringing regeneration to our city and town centres, national government has the unique chance to capture some of this energy and the benefits it will drive.”
Tackle the skills crisis
‘Review the national curriculum to focus more on the skills needed to transition into work rather than on remembering facts’
Michele Steel, chief executive of Regeneration Brainery
“Andy’s already shown through the MBacc that he can deliver on technical qualifications that work to support Greater Manchester’s priority growth sectors – and other devolved regions should follow suit.
“A full review of the national curriculum to bring more real-world learning into the classroom could change the trajectory for learning attainment for all young people. For example: bring the principles of quantity surveying into the classroom – contextualising maths would help to show why maths matters and get kids more engaged in a subject that is traditionally challenging for many.”
‘Create a long-term, fully integrated national skills and technical education strategy that gives colleges the funding, flexibility, and employer partnerships needed to deliver the workforce the UK economy requires’
Gary Hancox, head of East Midlands Construction Technical Excellence College
“If the UK is to improve productivity, attract investment and create opportunities for people in every community, it must invest in colleges as the primary route for developing the skilled workforce that employers urgently need.”
‘Provide capital funding to address the NEET crisis in Leeds’
Nikki Davis, principal and chief executive of Leeds College of Building
“For LCB, this would be a £10m investment. For the equivalent of a £1,000 investment per student over the next five years, Andy Burnham can deliver an additional 10,000 spaces for young people and apprentices in Leeds to address the NEET crisis, meet demands for technical education, support the most disadvantaged to access well paid, good jobs and deliver the construction skills required by industry with a nationally leading College, with a demonstrable track record in progressing highly skilled people into the construction industry.”
Drive economic growth
‘Be bold and deliver change at pace’
Lynda Shillaw, chief executive of Harworth Group
“Economic growth demands immediate action and commitment from government, not political inertia or the constant rehashing of what has already been agreed, so Burnham should use all of his experience across central and local government to deliver bold, rapid change and create the confidence businesses need to invest.”
‘Reduce the burden of costs on all businesses’
Vaughan Allen, chief executive of CityCo Manchester
“Employment taxes, business rates, energy costs have all risen hugely in the last two years. Businesses even in places like Manchester are struggling. We need short-, medium- and long-term strategies to reduce these costs, which is the only way of improving employment (including of NEETs) and growing the economy.”
‘Commit a funding pot to unlock a number of the North East’s strategic employment sites by investing in power, transport connections, and essential site infrastructure’
Keith Stewart, managing partner at Naylors
“The North East has the land, skills, and sector strengths to attract major investment in advanced manufacturing, energy and logistics but the opportunities and jobs they could create are being delayed – or lost – because critical infrastructure cannot be delivered through local funding alone.”
‘Support investment in UK industry with the clarity and speed of decision-making that gives investors the confidence to progress with game-changing development’
Richard Beason, head of investment at the Humber Freeport
“Private sector companies stand ready to invest billions of pounds in advanced manufacturing and clean energy, but are hampered by slow decision-making and delayed implementation of policy. There is real opportunity to stimulate significant growth in industrial clusters like the Humber, but we need investors to be confident their own ambitions are matched.”
‘Build on his commitment to recognise and support the needs of the North of England’
Ian Tew, head of the Newcastle office at Knight Frank
“If Burnham is serious about it that support must reach every area – the North means more than Greater Manchester and the M62. Alongside this, we need policies that speed up process, decision-making, and unlock and improve development viability to give investors the confidence to deliver schemes that will help close the economic gap between the North and South East.”
‘Champion a step change in rail transport connectivity for Hull and East Yorkshire, ensuring our region receives the investment needed to fully connect with the Northern economy and unlock growth for businesses and communities’
Cllr Anne Handley, Leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council
“Hull and East Yorkshire remain one of the least connected parts of the North despite being a major contributor to UK trade, energy, and manufacturing. Investing in a better rail network and public transport links would unlock economic growth, attract investment, create opportunities for local people and strengthen the prosperity of the entire Northern region.”
‘Support Liverpool to deliver a pipeline of major infrastructure and growth projects’
Cllr Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council
“From the North Liverpool MDC to the Liverpool-Manchester rail upgrade and the redevelopment of Central Station, Liverpool is awash with exciting infrastructure and development projects poised to unlock growth across the city region; projects which Andy Burnham has long supported as Mayor of Greater Manchester and will no doubt continue to support as Prime Minister.”
‘Deliver more reform, not more targets’
Kenneth Wood, managing director of Drees and Sommer UK
“Unlocking growth and delivering projects depends on removing the barriers facing the built environment sector, particularly planning, where the government needs to lead, alongside action to tackle cost inflation and accelerate carbon reduction.”
‘Take the best of Manchester-ism and apply it across the country as needed.’
Roy Barry, partner and head of development at Brabners
“I am really just asking Andy Burnham to back himself, use his experience and trust his instincts (which I am sure he will do). We should all, in turn, back him – division will just keep us all in the mire whereas letting Andy do his thing on a national scale may very well spark the economic renaissance that the country so badly needs. Hopefully, future economists will then be talking about the success of ‘UK-ism’ in the coming years.”
What is your one big ask for Burnham? Let us know in the comments.
