Chancellor to apply ‘zoning scheme’ around commuter train stations to boost fragile UK economy and encourage investment

Housebuilders will be handed swifter access to build new homes around England’s commuter train stations under the latest government plans to foster a building boom.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves told the Observer she would ensure a “presumption in favour of building” in areas that would give households easy access to urban centres, and businesses a greater choice of potential workers. It comes after a flurry of pro-growth announcements and ahead of a major speech by Reeves this week in which she is expected to again signal a willingness to take politically difficult decisions in order to boost Britain’s fragile economy.