The spending review on Wednesday delivered what many in the housing sector have long hoped for: a serious commitment to affordable housing, with £39 billion pledged over the next decade.

It’s a powerful statement of intent from the government, one that recognises the scale of the challenge we face, and one that could potentially unlock and supercharge the delivery of affordable housing. But it’s also an opportunity to think differently about how we deliver the homes our communities and our economy need, particularly through a bold new approach like a national housing bank.