Property developers would be forced to speed up the delivery of new homes built on former public land under contracts being considered by housing minister Yvette Cooper. Financial Times

Cooper believes the government’s target of building 3m homes by 2020 may not be reached because developers are taking too long to complete projects.

Housebuilders that agree to build on English Partnerships land typically sign binding contracts which specify a timeframe for delivery.

Cooper believes those contracts could be tightened to force a more rapid rate of construction. She also wants them applied to other sites – owned by different public bodies – where developers may have more latitude on how quickly they work.

The proposed contractual arrangements are expected to be recommended next week by John Calcutt, the former chief executive of EP, who is reviewing the housebuilding system for the government.