The Modern Masonry Alliance (MMA) has welcomed Sir Michael Lyons’ road map to build 200,000 homes-a-year by 2020.

The independent review produced for the Labour Party puts local builders and communities at the heart of the housing delivery plan. His review recommends the formation of Olympic Park-style local ‘new homes corporations’ with power to fast-track housing development and assemble land.

Lyons believes these new bodies could build the foundations to deliver up to 500,000 homes over a five-year parliament. He also calls for fresh impetus at all levels to encourage small house builders to enter the market and end the dominance of a handful of major firms in housing supply.

Lyons points out that small builders built nearly two thirds of homes 30 years ago but now account for less than a third. Mike Leonard, chief executive of the Modern Masonry Alliance, said: “Greater engagement to identify local need and release the land to build the right homes for the community is vital. Without the involvement of local builders and the increased availability of affordable housing for sale and rent we will not deliver the massive uplift in housing by 2020 that we need to address the growing housing crisis.”

Leonard said that the MMA had already established Local House Builder Clubs in Birmingham and Wolverhampton designed to identify and release smaller sites for development by local builders. “This initiative is based on finding ways to remove red tape and access the land and finance to make projects work. We support the 'Help to Build' initiative as an enabler to help get smaller builders delivering more new homes.

"We look forward to Sir Michael revealing further details of his findings at the Housing Summit being staged at Arup, Solihull Campus on Tuesday 21 October 2014."

Lyons forecasts his house building plan would deliver 230,000 extra jobs and raise economic growth by 1.2%.

Key recommendations of the Lyons Housing Review:

• Set up new homes corporations with powers to push through building on land, including a backstop power for compulsory purchase
• Measures to drive competition in the house building industry, increase capacity, and expanding the number of small firms.
• A Help to Build scheme to underwrite loans to small builders to get them building again and fast-track planning on small sites.
• Financial incentives to local authorities so that they deliver a programme of new Garden Cities and Garden Suburbs to help unlock 500,000 homes.