Gove replaces Simon Clarke who resigned yesterday after just seven weeks in the job.
Here's how the property industry reacted to the news:
Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns for Propertymark, commented: “The Levelling Up agenda and reforms to the private rented sector in England would appear to be back and will take centre stage in the new government as Michael Gove returns to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
"Mr Gove previously focussed on regional disparities and fixing the cladding scandal, but he now needs to go further and tackle the supply crisis in the private rented sector, implement the next steps for leasehold reform, set out the UK Government’s plans for home buying and selling as well engage with the sector to get more people onto the housing ladder and stimulate right sizing to release large, family homes.”
Emma Fildes, founder of Brick Weaver, comments: “When Michael Gove was previously sacked, a number of developers who were caught up in the cladding scandal managed to stall for time due to unsigned contracts and vague terms around remedial work. Now, time is up and headmaster Gove will be taking action. This will come as a sigh of relief for the many thousands of people previously facing exorbitant bills for something that they had no control over.
“Amidst the wider uncertainty at present, he has a big opportunity to actually drive our housing agenda forwards.”
Melanie Leech chief executive of the British Property Federation: “Michael Gove will be able to hit the ground running and we look forward to working with him again. The property industry is a critical partner on levelling-up and by unlocking investment we can deliver the changes we need to see in our communities up and down the country.
"This summer we lost vital time on delivering on the Government’s agenda and urgently need a consistent and steady hand on the key issues of the day – housing supply, regeneration and net zero – which are all critical to the UK’s growth ambitions and international competitiveness.”
Kate Davies, Executive Director of the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA), comments: “The Ministerial game of pass the parcel continues – and as the music stopped yesterday, Mr Gove was left holding a familiar bundle. When he last held the DCLUHC brief, Mr Gove published two important consultations – one in February this year on "Levelling up” and a second in June on “Providing a Fairer Private Rented Sector”. As one of the most experienced Ministers in the new Cabinet, Mr Gove has a reputation for getting things done – and had already made progress on a number of key issues (not least the cladding scandal) – before his abrupt departure from the Johnson administration. Instead of facing the prospect of yet another new face at DLUHC, we, therefore, welcome Mr Gove’s return and hope that this signals the importance that both he and the new Prime Minister attach to this vital role.
“Mr Gove’s own analysis of the issues has been detailed and clear – we urgently need more and better housing stock. The process is lengthy and complex, from the granting of permission to develop and to acquisition and build-out, and the wider-reaching requirements for appropriate infrastructure to support new developments. As IMLA has consistently said – this is a long-term and continuing project which can only be delivered on the back of a long-term strategy. In returning to a role to which he has previously clearly given much consideration, Mr Gove may be best placed to provide this.
“Each of the new Ministers has been presented with a parcel of knotty problems: Mr Gove’s challenges will be to increase public sector housing while also maintaining support for the vital private rental sector and increasing first time ownership at a time when markets are volatile, supply is worryingly low, and measures such as Help to Buy are coming to an end. We look forward to working with the Ministerial team and officials at DLUHC - and wish them all the best of luck in untangling their particular Gordian Knot.”
