Opposing new homes being built at a garden center down the road, or stopping the local pub being converted into flats, will be more difficult, a planning expert has warned.
Martin Gaine, a chartered town planner, was responding to the Government’s restructuring of planning rules to increase the number of homes under construction.
He told MailOnline and This is Money that the Government’s announcement will apply to all new housing in a city, including its suburbs, and not just regeneration projects on former industrial land.
Brownfield property developments to be prioritized, councils in England to be informed
Under its proposals, the Government said all councils in England will be told they will need to prioritize brownfield developments.
They will be instructed to be “less bureaucratic” and “more flexible” in implementing policies that stop housing construction on brownfield land.
The Government is consulting on the proposals until March 26 and says it will then look to implement these changes into national planning policy as soon as possible.
Gaine explained that the new policy applies to the UK’s largest towns and cities and essentially says that if they do not meet their local housing targets, they should be inclined to grant planning permission for new homes unless they cause serious damage.
“This means that if a council is undecided about granting permits for new housing, it must say yes,” he said.
“This will apply to all new housing in a city, including its suburbs, not just regeneration projects on former industrial land, so residents could find it harder to oppose a new block of flats in the center of landscaping at the end of your street, or to stop your local pub being converted into flats.’
However, Gaine described the announcement as a “welcome challenge” to a “bureaucratic planning system.”
‘This will make it difficult to make the ‘computer says no’ denials that planners like to issue.
‘However, although it will deliver some new homes, it is unlikely to ‘speed up’ them as the Government claims. ‘
He said the focus on building new homes on brownfield land within towns and cities rather than on the green belt and countryside is nothing new.
He said: “The problem is that not everyone wants to live in a newly built flat in the city centre; we also need housing in rural areas.” In any case, there is not enough abandoned land to meet our housing needs.
‘With the election so close, the Conservatives cannot risk alienating voters by proposing new housing in the countryside; building on green fields is wildly unpopular, especially among its core voters: middle-aged homeowners in rural areas.
‘This policy is an attempt to square the circle: signaling to younger voters that they are getting the housing they need, but without alienating the counties’ older voters. It simply will not, on its own, provide the millions of new homes we need. ‘
Chartered planner Martin Gaine said it will now be harder to oppose the construction of a new apartment block at a garden center down the road.
Other housing experts also welcomed the announcement, suggesting it would help address the affordable housing shortage.
Although they agreed that the real estate industry had “heard a lot about this before without seeing much difference on the ground.”
North London estate agent Jeremy Leaf said: “There are many aspects of these proposals that are welcome, such as the focus on increasing supply and recognition of the importance of tackling the shortage of affordable housing, particularly on brownfield sites.” .
‘However, unfortunately we have heard a lot about this before without seeing much difference on the ground.
‘This consultation needs a strict timetable for implementation and consequences or failure for local authorities who fail to meet realistic planning and infrastructure targets.
“In our work with developers and builders, we frequently find that a failure by local authorities to appreciate the disconnect between time and money – i.e. failure to submit projects in a timely manner – can lead to are left aside completely as markets, costs, financing offers and circumstances change.’
Britain needs more homes built in the right places, says Housing Minister Lee Rowley
It follows Housing Minister Lee Rowley speaking on Radio 4’s Today program about the Government’s announcement and saying Britain needed more homes in the right places.
He explained: ‘The right place is usually to build in urban areas where infrastructure already exists, such as GP surgeries, schools and good transport links.
“We want to ensure that the changes we are announcing today give greater priority to housing development in urban areas and on brownfield sites.”
He was then asked if the development of brownfield sites can be encouraged while ensuring quality.
He replied: ‘Quality is important and there are clear standards that people must meet and we have a big decency campaign for existing stock. We’re making sure there are standards around lighting and things like that.
‘So it’s about making sure that happens, but also that we build the homes people need in the right places.
‘We have made changes to the standards in recent years… and there are minimum standards in place.
‘The Government is focused on increasing housing construction and we have made good progress in that regard.
‘Building more housing is about small-scale political interventions and large political interventions, which add to the objectives we have. And we are on track to build a million homes in this Parliament.’
