Matthew Pennycook MP appointed Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Mr Pennycook was appointed Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 06^th July 2024, having been re-elected as MP to the seat of Greenwich and Woolwich with a strong mandate (Elaine Smith of the Green Party trailed with 5,633 votes compared to Mr Pennycook’s 23,999; a majority of 18,366 votes).

 

The role of Housing Minister has been fragile, with a total of 16 Housing Minsters occupying the role throughout the previous Conservative governance (2010–2024) and 9 Housing Minsters throughout the last Labour governance (1997-2010).

 

It is hoped that, with the new government, Mr Pennycook can install some stability in the role to deliver his aims of “tackling the housing crisis and boosting economic growth”, as set out on 06^th July 2024.   Mr Pennycook will want to be seen to deliver Labour’s manifesto to reform the planning system by ‘properly resourcing’ local planning departments’, something which has been overlooked in recent years, enforcing mandatory housing targets, ensuring local planning authorities have up-to-date Local Plans and implementing a form of regional planning.

 

Mr Pennycock’s public engagement with the planning system to-date has been fairly limited, but he is on the record as objecting to the proposals at Modern Wharf on the Greenwich Peninsula for a mixed used scheme, including up to 1,500 residential dwellings. This objection related to quite specific concerns around building heights rather than the principle of a mixed-use development at the site and particularly a concern for the backdrop of the Greenwich Maritime World Heritage Site.

 

We look forward to seeing how Mr Pennycook develops in the role as Housing Minister.