Heritage buildings could ease UK housing shortfall
Sunday 12th July, 2026
A Commons committee says converting unused historic buildings and churches could deliver about 670,000 homes and help meet the UK’s housing targets, urging a heritage-to-housing scheme and tax incentives.
This gives Rightmove a chance to comment on how repurposing heritage properties could expand listings, support agents and offer buyers and renters more diverse homes across the UK.
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Why have we flagged this?
A Commons report saying repurposing historic buildings could deliver hundreds of thousands of homes is major housing news directly relevant to Rightmove’s market insight and comment on supply trends.
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Expert comment
Convert first, build later: unlock empty heritage now
Rightmove’s housing expert argues that fast-tracking heritage conversions will add supply quicker than new-builds and should get a 12‑month planning fast lane and VAT relief.
Expert comment angle: Offer a clear, contrarian take to housing and planning correspondents: prioritise a national ‘convert-first’ pipeline with time-limited fast-track rules tied to heritage skills capacity.
Why: A sharp, prescriptive stance from the UK’s biggest portal is quotable and advances the debate beyond warm words.
Newsjack
Rightmove maps 10 heritage-to-homes opportunity zones
Launch an interactive map highlighting local zones with clusters of at‑risk buildings, shortfall in homes, and high rental pressure to show where conversions would cut waiting lists fastest.
Newsjack angle: Publish a simple map and press note within days, using Historic England at‑risk locations overlaid with your supply and demand indicators, and pitch to national and regional desks.
Why: A visual, named list gives editors easy peg-and-place coverage and keeps Rightmove at the centre of the policy story.