Chancellor George Osborne is pushing plans to change the rules surrounding brownfield sites in a bid to increase house building across England…
Housing developments on brownfield sites could be granted automatic planning approval under new rules. Brownfield refers to land that has been previously developed, but is now vacant or derelict.
During the course of the last parliament, the coalition pushed development on brownfield as a way of tackling the housing shortage. It seems this is an area the Conservative government is keen to continue to promote.
Under the proposed plans ministers would also be granted the power to seize disused land, major housing projects would be fast-tracked, and extension rules in London would be relaxed.
However, there are fears the new rules would lead to the “nationalisation” of the planning system, according to many critics of the changes.
Additionally, many have raised concerns that there simply is not enough brownfield land available to meaningfully meet the demand for new housing.
A 90 page document, ‘Fixing the Foundations’, is set to be released today and will outline Britain’s productivity record. It will also examine how the nation can increase its output levels, which are reportedly trailing behind other leading nations.
Over the last few years the planning system has undergone a number of reforms aimed at making the process of building homes easier. This has seen many of the rules regarding planning applications relaxed and the amount of red tape involved cut.
It is hoped these new plans will help increase productivity by removing the need for planning permission on some brownfield sites altogether. The aim is to ensure 90 per cent of viable brownfield sites have permission to build by 2020. Automatic planning permission, which would need approval by MPs, would be granted on all “suitable” brownfield sites under a new “zonal” system.
The plans also include removing the need for planning permission in London for developers who want to extend buildings to the height of neighbouring properties. The Treasury said this will “add dynamism” to house building in the capital.
Mayors in London and Manchester will also see planning powers devolved to their office, and new sanctions will be placed on councils that do not deal with planning applications quickly. Additionally, the government would be able to intervene in local development plans, which are put together by councils.
Last year, only 141,000 new homes were built. Business Secretary Sajid Javid said “new ways” need to be found to speed up housing projects.
He added: “The point of this is to make sure we build more homes, that local people are still rightly involved in those decisions and we find ways to speed it up.”
Green belt is expected to be protected, with the government taking the stance it is not needed to meet housing targets.
Javid said: “The green belt can be rightly protected. There is plenty of land which is not green belt that we can build on and which is suitable for housing and we need to get on with it. We need to find new ways to encourage it.”
However, with more than two million homes set to be built by 2030, planning consultancy Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners said “tougher choices” would have to be made.
Managing Director James Fennell said: “In some areas release of Green Belt is required alongside development on brownfield land.
“If government continues to shy away from this issue the housing crisis cannot be addressed.”