industry news
Lack of planners threatening housing targets
to a lack of planning resources, according to new research. A report “Small is beautiful: Delivering more
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homes through small sites” is a collaboration by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) and the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU). It draws upon the experience of local authorities and SME house builders from right across the UK. They say that builders are willing to pay
higher planning fees, provided the money is ring-fenced and used to improve local planning services. Without more experienced staff employed in council planning departments, the national target of one million new homes by 2020 will not be met.
It also found that:
• 64 per cent of builders and 45 per cent of local authorities see lack of planning resources as a barrier to developing more small sites
• More than half of councils deliver fewer than 40 per cent of homes on small sites
• Builders and local authorities call for councils to be allowed to raise planning application fees
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said “The Government’s aim to build one million new homes by 2020 won’t be realised unless more housebuilders can enter the housing market. That’s why the barriers that SME house builders currently face need to be removed.” “Too often small sites are dealt with entirely
by inexperienced officers. There simply aren’t enough senior and experienced planners to make the system work effectively. Unless planning departments have enough experienced planners on the ground, our housing targets will be nothing more than aspirational.” Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, LGiU,
said "There is a large untapped potential in small sites, but resource and capacity pressures in planning departments make it difficult to
“Too often small sites are dealt with entirely by inexperienced officers”
unlock. We need new approaches and new partnerships to build the homes we need. By working with a wider range of local builders, councils can stimulate local economic growth, while providing jobs and training for young people in the area.”
early all local authorities in England believe the Government’s target of one million new homes will be missed due
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www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM January 2017 | 27
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