4 INDUSTRY NEWS
FROM THE EDITOR
James Parker
The new Government has hitched its ambitions to pull the UK’s economy out of its slump using a horse called housebuilding, but unfortunately it’s not looking keen to leave the stable.
Housing Secretary (and Deputy PM) Angela Rayner has launched a consultation on reforms to the planning system in order to progress the Government’s target of 1. million homes over fi ve years. It sets in stone a new regime of mandatory housebuilding targets across the country, imposed based on local need.
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Rayner believes the outcome will be not 300,000 but 370,000 homes per year across the fi ve year Parliament, a possibly farcical aim given the sector is currently outputting around 200,000 a year. The key is not the paltry 300 new planning offi cers promised, but the new grey belt designation for low quality sections of former green belt, which come with a set of golden rules. Developers will have to provide 0 affordable housing, increase access to green spaces, and put the necessary infrastructure in place, such as schools and GP surgeries.
Rayner admitted that the changes would not be without controversy, but we aren’t afraid to take it on. She believed local views should dictate how to build, not whether to build. Despite the focus on grey belt, brownfi eld sites remain the fi rst port of call, she said, with grey belt the next-best option.
More clarity is needed on what grey belt will look like, and how it’ll be allocated. Hopefully this will come in the forthcoming Planning & Infrastructure Bill. So far the Department has said it will be on the edge of existing settlements or roads, as well as old petrol stations and car parks.
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The latest part of the seaside town’s revival is a luxury apartment block on the beach with impressive curves and bespoke glazed brick facades
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07/08/2024 11:57
It seems the onus will be on planning authorities to ensure they release other sites, or risk grey belt being use Where authorities do not have up-to-date local plans in place or enable suffi cient housing to come forward to meet local targets, homebuilders can bring forward proposals on grey belt land.
This could lead to a boom in housebuilding, but land that’s safeguarded for environmental reasons will continue to be protected. And, Section 10 arrangements would be strengthened, to ensure the supporting infrastructure is delivered.
Rayner asserted in the Commons We will not be deterred by those who stand in our way. I wonder what the housebuilders had to say to her deputy Matthew Pennycook when he spoke to them after Rayner’s speech?
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The industry is as yet unmoved, some saying that with registrations down and many fi rms experiencing large downturns, expecting housebuilders to suddenly create thousands of homes is unrealistic. Skills is the big one – it’s thought 900,000 new construction workers are already needed by 2028 – so currently it looks as if an extra 00,000 isn’t on the cards. We can probably put the ‘new towns’ plan – that Labour also has on its long list – in the ‘cloud cuckoo land’ folder for the time being.
James Parker
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