24 COMMENT
all sorts of knock-on effects. But those in the most desperate need of housing are likely to suffer the most, with even longer delays for them to be housed. At current building rates, some experts estimate the backlog of low-income families needing accommodation would take over 120 years to clear.
The overnment gave in to a well- orchestrated campaign among its backbenchers, mainly in the south of England, who claimed they were protecting the unique feel of their constituencies, as well as the reen Belt. But one potential and ready-made solution may have been highlighted by the countryside charity, the CPRE. They have discovered that a record number of brownfi eld sites in England have been identifi ed for redevelopment, are currently lying dormant and could provide 1.2 million homes. They analysed 344 brownfi eld land registers, which identify urban sites that have previously been built on and which are available for housing. The amount of land available covered 27,342 hectares (67,563 acres) across 23,000 sites in 2022, 6% more than in 2021. Planning permission has already been granted for 45% of the land, while 550,000 homes with planning permission are awaiting development. Housing developments on brownfi eld sites are often completed more than six months more quickly than those on greenfi eld land. Tom Fyans, the interim chief executive of CPRE, said: “ou know the system is broken when hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people and families are on social housing waiting lists, many in rural areas. Meanwhile, across the country, tens of thousands of hectares of prime brownfi eld sites are sitting there waiting to be redeveloped.”
A TRANSFORMATIVE SOLUTION Fyans said investing in brownfi eld regeneration would have a transformative effect. “There’s no way to fi x an overheated, undersupplied housing market without a new generation of social or truly affordable housing. The only solution is a commitment to building hundreds of thousands of new homes available at social rents or sold at affordable prices linked to local wages.” “Done with consideration, such developments breathe new life into
communities while also building the homes local people actually need alongside existing infrastructure such as public transport, schools and shops.” Many of the brownfi eld sites are also in areas with the highest identifi ed need for new housing. London boroughs have two of the top three totals of highest brownfi eld land with housing capacity, Birmingham is in second place and Manchester in fourth. sing this land would take the pressure off the reen Belt around those cities, as well as rural areas and farmland where the opposition to new housing is often at its strongest and most vocal.
The National Planning Policy Framework is due for review in 2023 and on the back of its research the CPRE is calling for it to include a clear prioritisation of brownfi eld development
over greenfi eld sites. Among its recommendations are: Only allowing greenfi eld developments when they are primarily affordable housing for local needs, or when as much use as possible is already being made of brownfi eld land;
The New Homes Bonus should be reformed so it is only paid out to support either development of brownfi eld land and/or additional affordable homes; The Infrastructure Levy should be set at a much higher rate on greenfi eld land to re ect the high costs of greenfi eld development to local communities; and Provide local communities with stronger mechanisms to bring brownfi eld land forward as a source of land supply, such as increased compulsory purchase powers.
If social landlords can be funded and helped to partner with private sector developers and planning authorities to build on these brownfi eld sites, then there is a good chance the list of obstacles outlined earlier, could be overcome. But it will require a strong resolve and commitment from the overnment to ensure that such a massive programme can be put together and implemented. e will probably get an indication of Ministers’ willingness to adopt this sort of solution when the Levelling p and Regeneration Bill is pushed through its fi nal stages of Parliamentary scrutiny, but increased use of brownfi eld sites for new affordable housing seems like an easy win. The concept has been around for decades but is still under-utilised and capable of delivering so much more. As planning permission already exists for over half a million homes on such sites, let’s hope that common sense prevails.
THE DEMAND FOR HOUSES AND FLATS WHICH CAN BE LET AT SOCIAL RENTS IS GROWING EXPONENTIALLY AT THE MOMENT, WITH MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS ON COUNCIL WAITING LISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
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