Steve Reed, the new housing secretary, has promised to leave no stone unturned in his quest to get the sector to “build, baby, build”.

Alongside housing minister Matthew Pennycook, Mr Reed has reiterated the government’s commitment to working in partnership with industry leaders to ramp up delivery. The pair have pledged to focus on the remaining barriers to construction, including complex planning processes, which they say “stand in the way of building 1.5 million homes in this parliament”.

Mr Reed said:  “I want us to build, baby, build, so we can put the key to a decent home into the hands of every single family that needs it. We are doubling down on our plans to unleash one of the biggest eras of building in our country’s history and we are backing the builders all the way. Through major planning reform and investment, we will break down the barriers to development and build the 1.5 million homes this country needs as part of our Plan for Change.”

The government is expected to announce further details on new towns, grant rates under the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, and rent convergence, with sector groups divided on the latter. The landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill is also expected to pass into law shortly.

Since taking office, Mr Reed has met key developers and builders before visiting a housing site in Bedfordshire “to witness first-hand the best ways to move forward and speed up building at sites up and down the country”.

Mr Reed’s appointment follows the resignation of Angela Rayner, who stepped down last week after admitting she had underpaid stamp duty land tax on an £800,000 property in Hove.