Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

Role

Responsible for housing policy, planning system, and local government. Policy owner for the 1.5 million homes target. Co-led the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 with DESNZ. Oversees National Policy Statements for energy (with DESNZ) and sets National Planning Policy Framework.

Strategies owned

• planning-infrastructure-act-2025 — Co-led with DESNZ; primary planning reform vehicle

Outcomes accountable for

• housing-1-5-million — 1.5 million homes this Parliament
• Planning reform delivering 150 major infrastructure decisions by Parliament end

Key commitments

• mhclg-housing-1-5m — 1.5 million homes
• mhclg-150-infra-decisions — 150 major infrastructure decisions by Parliament end
• mhclg-nature-restoration-fund — Nature Restoration Fund through PIA 2025

Relationships

• Works with DESNZ on energy infrastructure planning
• Works with Defra/Natural England on Nature Restoration Fund and BNG
• Sets planning policy followed by all local planning authorities
• Works with HMT on Green Book appraisal standards

Tensions

• housing-biodiversity — MHCLG holds housing target while Defra holds nature targets; Nature Restoration Fund is the bridge but implementation untested
• planning-timelines-2030-targets — PIA received Royal Assent December 2025; secondary legislation and implementation still in progress