Liam Downer-Sanderson and Jessica Stewart: How to win over the MIMBYs and deliver the housing Britain desperately needs | Conservative Home

You’ve probably heard of NIMBYs, Not In My Backyard, and you may have heard of YIMBYs, Yes In My Backyard. But what about MIMBYs: Maybe In My Backyard? Demos research identified that 67 per cent of voters are “MIMBYs” who support development under the right circumstances, compared to just 23 per cent who oppose it under all circumstances.

Despite NIMBYs being very vocal, 52 per cent of Britons support housing development in their local area, compared to 41 per cent who oppose it. Opposition to housebuilding isn’t as widespread as it seems. That is a huge opportunity. The question is whether we have the political confidence to seize it.

With the new Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, James Cleverly, now in place, this is a good opportunity for the Conservative Party to reset the tone. Yes, planning reform and housing policy need serious attention. There is no shortage of good ideas: zoning reform, streamlined approvals, infrastructure delivery and changes to local plan requirements. But that has been written about extensively, and it isn’t the point of this article.

What is missing from the conversation is how we win the political and public argument for housing. That means better messaging, better local engagement and a return to political confidence.

The Conservative Party should be speaking directly to MIMBYs. Britain is in a housing crisis: young people can’t afford to buy; families are trapped in overcrowded flats; older residents can’t downsize; and an increasing number are finding themselves renting in retirement.

Businesses struggle to hire because staff can’t live nearby – and as prices and rents soar, so does the housing benefit bill. It comes up more and more on the doorstep, often from parents or grandparents who are worried about whether their children will ever be able to move out, let alone own a home. This cannot go on.

If the politics of housing has become toxic, the answer isn’t to shout louder at and for NIMBYs. It is to engage the MIMBY majority – the people who want to see homes in their neighbourhoods if they feel consulted, respected and heard. Elections are won by taking a position in the middle of the majority, after all.

We both work in housing and planning communications. Most objections don’t come from people ideologically opposed to building, but from people who’ve lost trust in the process. The challenge isn’t anti-growth sentiment. It is often poor communication, weak delivery and missed chances to show what good development can offer.

That’s where the Conservatives have an edge if we choose to use it. Home ownership, local pride and economic growth are our values. And they’re exactly what MIMBYs are asking for.

We need to be clearer and more confident in showing what communities stand to gain. When new homes bring GP surgeries, schools, green spaces or transport improvements, we should say so. Too often, councillors and candidates let this value go unrecognised because they are worried championing benefits of development will lose them votes. S106 and CIL funds already contribute enormously to local infrastructure, but unless residents can see and understand what has been delivered, support for future development collapses.

We must also stop describing development in technocratic or transactional terms. Voters respond to people-centred language. Talking about units and targets distances them from what’s being proposed. We should be describing new homes for families, young people and key workers in areas they love and want to stay in, not reciting numbers from a spreadsheet. Language matters; campaigners need the tools and confidence to tell a human story.

Trust matters too. That means being honest about trade-offs but also showing that development can be shaped and improved by local input. One of the biggest mistakes is leaving engagement too late or letting it be driven entirely by the planning process. The best results happen when candidates and councillors lead from the front, shaping the vision and proving that promises made will be promises kept.

Residents are understandably wary of developers who seem to appear overnight, get planning permission, then disappear after flipping the site for profit. That perception must be tackled head-on with visible delivery, ongoing dialogue and clear accountability. People need to see that what’s promised is being built.

To ensure this translates to Party-wide messaging, we need to equip our local teams to have these conversations. Too many Conservative candidates feel on the back foot when it comes to housing. They need locally tailored briefings, constituency-specific examples and training in how to speak confidently about growth and planning. This isn’t just about defending decisions. It’s about leading the conversation early and often.

The Overton window on housing is about to shift, and it’s a massive opportunity for us to lead the argument for building the homes Britain needs on our terms. If we don’t take it, others will. If we do, we can define a housing agenda that aligns with Conservative values and wins real public support.

The public are crying out for a return to conviction politics. Too often the Conservative Party has been reactionary, shifting position based on polling instead of making the case for what’s right and necessary even when it’s difficult. At best, this delivers short-term gains. Even in Mid Bedfordshire it failed – back in 2023, Labour won the by-election there on a pro-housing platform. Now Labour, despite their Commons majority, have already fallen into the same trap: triangulating instead of leading. Politically, they’re paying the price for it.

If we want to be taken seriously again, we must lead with ideas and act with principle. Winning over the MIMBYs means showing people we trust them with facts, choices and a say in shaping their communities. That’s how we shift the politics of housing and deliver the homes Britain desperately needs.