This week’s BBC Panorama episode, The Race to Build 1.5 Million Homes, reignited one of the biggest questions in the housing sector: can we deliver the homes the country needs without repeating the same mistakes?
The programme covered the usual hurdles. Planning delays. Infrastructure gaps. Rising costs. Policy confusion. The frustration was familiar. But watching it, one thing stood out. We keep trying to fix delivery, when the real problem often begins much earlier — with how we decide where to build in the first place.
It is easy to get caught up in the numbers. 1.5 million sounds like a goal worth chasing. Yet if we continue choosing land reactively, based on what becomes available rather than what makes sense, we will keep hitting the same obstacles.
Thinking ahead, not catching up
This is where proactive planning makes a difference.
When I spoke recently with Dr Alistair Ford from Newcastle University in our latest Ubrix Session, he described how he worked alongside Gateshead Council to apply mapping and data at the very start of the development process.
Instead of waiting for land to become available, the team identified areas that already met key criteria. Places near transport networks. Sites with lower energy costs. Space for schools, shops and services. That data-driven approach meant fewer objections, faster decisions and developments that aligned with both local and environmental priorities.
It is a simple idea with significant impact. Doing more of the hard thinking upfront saves time, money and public trust later on.
What Ubrix brings to the table
At Ubrix, we believe the same mindset should apply across the industry.
Our platform helps developers, contractors and housing providers plan smarter from the start, turning disconnected data into clear, actionable insights. From land evaluation through to aftercare and compliance, Ubrix gives every stakeholder a shared foundation to make better decisions.
Because building more homes only works if we also build them better.
Watch the full conversation
If you missed it, you can watch our full conversation with Dr Alistair Ford here:
👉 Ubrix Sessions: From Data to Decisions – Mapping the Future of Housing
Ubrix is built to help developers, contractors and housing providers plan smarter from day one.
Learn more about how our platform is changing the way housing gets delivered.
