New Homes Accelerator: Can construction software unblock new-build barriers?

Construction is moving forward – and fast.

In the past five years, several changes to building regulations and new initiatives have impacted many construction processes. While these changes aim to improve safety, sustainability, and housing supply, they also create logistical, financial, and workforce challenges for construction companies that need to keep up with new ways of working and their responsibilities.

A new government, a new initiative

Just one month into the new government’s premiership, Labour announced its New Homes Accelerator designed to unblock stalled new-build projects. The programme is part of the government’s commitment to delivering 1.5 million new homes. The New Homes Accelerator will collaborate with the government, Homes England, local authorities, developers, and other key stakeholders. The main goal is to expedite housing developments that are not progressing quickly enough; in 2024 the government estimated that there were up to 200 stalled schemes. The programme will:

• Identify and address specific issues causing delays.
• Deploy expert teams to provide on-the-ground support to local authorities.
• Use government resources, like Homes England, to accelerate delivery on delayed sites.
• Inform future reforms to planning and housing policies.

Unblocking barriers in the planning process means identifying and addressing inefficiencies – something that is all too familiar for construction teams.

How can construction planning software play a part?

While digital adoption has historically been slow for the construction industry, the speed at which technology develops and evolves means those who don’t get on board with changes risk being left behind. And this matters when regulations and initiatives continue to place pressure on developers, planners and house builders to deliver quality at pace.

The right software, used in the right way, can be extremely powerful tools that streamline the planning, execution and monitoring of large-scale developments. Here are some of the features to look out for, and how they can help.

Task management and scheduling

Software that includes robust task management and scheduling capabilities (like timelines and Gantt charts) allows developers to visualise project timelines, identify dependencies, and track progress at a glance helping to ensure that tasks are completed in the correct sequence and on time. Some software also provides further visual references like bar charts; allowing for clear visual representation of tasks and their durations. This supports teams and planners in creating realistic timelines. The general principles of project scheduling follow the importance of the critical path – activities delayed in this path are the most likely to translate to delays in the project end date and software that shows float (the amount of time a task can be delayed without affecting the critical path) makes it easier to identify scheduling problems.

Improved resource management

Tools for efficient resource management allow managers to allocate human and material resources based on availability and skill sets – which works to optimise productivity and reduce downtime. By using planning software that gives users visibility of resources, they can define and assign them to tasks and even track use and potential over-allocations. Resource management helps construction teams of any size manage resources effectively; potentially identifying and addressing resource-related delays; a common blocker for house-building projects.

Centralised communication and collaboration

A centralised platform for all project-related communication and document management ensures that all stakeholders (including developers, local authorities, and contractors) are on the same page with access to the latest information. Having a single source of truth reduces the risks associated with miscommunication and improves overall project coordination.

Effective budgeting and financial management

Software that presents financial information associated with tasks coherently and intuitively means that teams can assign costs and enable cash flow monitoring; providing insights into future valuations. This helps developers keep projects within budget and supports them to make informed financial decisions – which is essential for the viability and timely completion of housing developments.

Robust reporting and analytics – with baseline management

Reporting tools are vital for quality checks that monitor the robustness of a project plan; the ability to compare the baseline plan with actual progress enables developers to monitor progress, identify potential delays early, and make data-driven decisions to keep projects on track. By doing this, developers can understand the impact of potential delays, and take corrective actions. Software that maps out project plans will usually include various methods for recording progress; including actual dates, remaining durations, and percentages – providing flexibility in monitoring the advancement of housing projects. Identifying delays early is one of the key ways that developers can align with the New Homes Accelerator’s goal of accelerating delivery.

Risk management

Risk analysis is vital for project managers to highlight tasks carrying the biggest risks to project success. Risk analysis tools run thousands of iterations of a project plan, giving stakeholders the right information to understand risks and obstacles. Having a view of potential blockers means being able to anticipate challenges before they arise – increasing the likelihood of project success and minimising the chance that unexpected delays will impact timelines.

Delays are a problem, address them for construction project success

Proactively approaching potential delays and bottlenecks means project planners can take corrective action, adjust plans, and communicate potential issues, decreasing the likelihood of derailed project plans. The government has lofty plans to deliver 300,000 new houses per year to make up for demand shortfall.

If you’re ready to make changes in how you approach project planning and delivery, an Asta Powerproject free trial could be the first step you take in transforming your projects.