In its Fixing the Foundations report, the government set out plans to bypass local councils and grant automatic permission to build on brownfield land, creating a ‘zonal system’, intending to reduce delays and uncertainty in the housebuilding process on brownfield land.
Mayors in London and Manchester will also be granted more devolved planning powers.
The government will hand over planning applications of 50 homes or more to the Mayor of London and said it would remove the need for planning permission for upwards extensions for a limited number of stories up to the height of an adjoining building.
The future Mayor of Greater Manchester will be given new powers to allow for more building on brownfield sites.
Local authorities will be required to display the progress of their housing plans in league tables and where plans are not produced, ministers will intervene to arrange for local plans to be written. The government said that cooperation with other local authorities would be required should councils struggle to meet their housing needs alone.
The government also said it was considering further compulsory purchase reforms in the autumn, following its consultation to make the compulsory purchase regime for brownfield land faster and clearer.
Andy Frankish, new homes director at Mortgage Advice Bureau welcomed the changes but questioned whether there was enough brownfield sites for the houses needed to address the UK’s housing problem.
“Proposals to bypass local council when granting planning permission for brownfield sites are long overdue. The question over whether there is enough brownfield land to support Britain’s housing needs is a valid one. Although greenbelt land is rightly protected, in certain circumstances – such as when it is adjacent to brownfield sites – development on the greenbelt may be necessary.”
“By devolving planning power to large metropolitan authorities in London and Manchester, local authorities will have more influence over housing development in the area and ensure this best suits the needs of its constituents. The question now is how long it will take the government to implement these changes: action must be taken as soon as possible if we are to stave off a worsening housing crisis.”
