The government has announced an overhaul of the planning system and given all councils in England mandatory housing targets to pave the way to deliver 1.5 million more homes.
The new targets will mean councils must boost housebuilding in areas most in need, with the new rules reversing the decision last year to water down housing targets by making them explicitly advisory.
Currently, just a third of councils have a plan that is under five years old, which is why, the government said, it would take the tough decisions and step in where needed to “drive progress, ensuring local areas get a say on how, but not if, homes are built.”
In addition to restoring mandatory housing targets, the method used to calculate them will be updated. The new method will require councils to ensure homes are built in the right places and development is proportionate to the size of existing communities, while adding an extra level of ambition in the most unaffordable areas.
The first port of call for development will be brownfield land. The new reforms will make explicit that the default answer to brownfield development should be “yes” and promote homebuilding at greater densities in urban centres.
To help deliver 1.5 million homes over the next five years, councils will have to review their green belt land if needed to meet their own target, identifying and prioritising ‘grey belt’ land, which the government defines as including land on the edge of existing settlements or roads, as well as old petrol stations and car parks.
Where local authorities do not have up-to-date plans in place or enable sufficient housing to come forward to meet local targets, homebuilders can bring forward proposals on grey belt land. In all cases, land that is safeguarded for environmental reasons will continue to be protected.
Land released in the Green Belt will be subject to the government’s ‘golden rules’, which make clear that development should deliver 50% affordable homes, increase access to green spaces and put the necessary infrastructure is in place, such as schools and GP surgeries.
The Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has written to every council leader and chief executive in England to make clear that there is “not just a professional responsibility but a moral obligation to see more homes built”, and that she will not hesitate to use her powers of intervention should it be necessary – including taking over an authority’s plan making directly.
She said: “Our decisive reforms to the planning system correct the errors of the past and set us on our way to tackling the housing crisis, delivering 1.5 million homes for those who really need them.
“And something I am personally proud of, our new flexibilities for councils will boost the number of social and affordable homes, and give working families a better route to a secure home.”
The FMB has welcomed the return of national housing targets and said it is very much needed if we are to deliver the 1.5 million new homes that the government wants to build over the next five years.
Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, commented: “The UK’s planning system has long been in desperate need of reform. Today’s announcement is a statement of intent which will be welcomed by small house builders. The return of national housing targets is good news as is the requirement for councils to demonstrate a five-year land supply for new housing.”
He continued: “There are fundamental issues with the UK housing system that need tackling to hit the government’s ambitious targets. We are far too reliant on too few developers to build homes, with smaller developers pushed to one side, damaging competition, and consumer choice.
“The 50% affordable target on brownfield sites is a concern as many small developers can’t get housing associations to buy their section 106 social homes, meaning homes are going unbuilt. Without reform of the social housing system, this will hold back delivery. But behind all of this is a lack of builders to deliver these homes, without a serious plan to boost the vocational skills system in this country, we’ll be unable to deliver 1.5 million homes.”
