Construction
Most significant reforms to housing policy in decades The government’s proposed planning reforms seek to transform a system that has long been criticised for being too sluggish in providing housing. But how will the changes provide a boost to SME builders?
In August, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said that the delivery of high-quality, sustainable homes that communities need will be at the heart of the most significant reforms to housing policy in decades. Often criticised for being too sluggish in providing housing for families, key workers and young people and too ineffectual in obligating developers to properly fund the infrastructure to support them, the government maintains that the new changes will keep local community agreement at the centre of proposals. A month previous to this announcement, Jenrick said that the new laws could deliver much-needed new homes and revitalise town centres across England, meaning that full planning applications will not be required to demolish and rebuild unused buildings as homes and commercial and retail properties can be quickly repurposed to help revive our high streets and town centres. In theory, this should help high streets and town centres to provide more space for new businesses and help them to adapt quickly to what consumers and businesses need. From 10 August, government grants to individual neighbourhood planning groups in both urban and deprived areas increased to £18,000, following funding increasing from £9,000 to £10,000 in May to help with the effects of coronavirus. Ministers say that the funding boost will strengthen the voice of local communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas in England. Changes for a greener UK As part of the wider plans, valued green spaces and Green Belt will continue to be
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Opposition to policy The announcements have been met with some opposition. Shadow Housing and Planning Minister Mike Amesbury said that the government’s Developer’s Charter ‘will see communities side-lined’ in decision-making and ‘denied vital funding for building schools, clinics and community infrastructure’. The Local Government Association also said that the new proposals must ensure that communities are not ignored, stressing that it is vital that new homes are delivered through a ‘locally-led planning system’ which gives communities the power to ensure new developments are of ‘a high standard, built in the right places, Ministe and include affordable homes’. say tha rs t r Acknowledging that the e c e funding nt planning system needs b o o sts will strengt reform, RIBA said that there protected h remains every chance that for future of local en the voice commu the proposals could also lead generations, in some nities to the creation ‘of the next with the o f the mo disadva generation of slum housing’. reforms s t ntaged RIBA President Alan Jones allowing for a r e as in Engla said: “If the government is serious more building nd about addressing the dominant on brownfield position of large housebuilders and land. This includes the lack of quality social housing, the proposals for all new Secretary of State needs to make changes to streets to be tree lined. the tax system, look at why land approved Jenrick believes that reforming the for development lies untouched for years, planning system this way will ensure that and give local authorities power and local housing plans are developed and resource to promote and safeguard quality. agreed in 30 months, with a pledge that “The commitment to make all new all new homes will be ‘zero carbon ready’, homes carbon neutral by 2050 also needs with no new homes delivered under the be brought forward radically – we simply new system needing to be retrofitted. cannot go on building homes that damage He said: “Our complex planning system the environment and leave people at risk has been a barrier to building the homes of fuel poverty for another 30 years. These people need; it takes seven years to agree reforms might seem radical, but they local housing plans and five years just to won’t even scratch the surface when it get a spade in the ground. These once in a comes to building the homes we need.” generation reforms will lay the foundations for a brighter future, providing more homes A loss for nature for young people and creating better Environmental groups have also warned quality neighbourhoods and homes across that the new planning system reforms the country. We will cut red tape, but not announced by the government could standards, placing a higher regard on quality, sweeping losses of nature across the UK. design and the environment than ever Although the government plans have before. Planning decisions will be simple stressed that valued green spaces and Green and transparent, with local democracy at the Belt will continue to be protected for future heart of the process. As we face the economic generations, a number of organisations and effects of the pandemic, now is the time for charities have said that over-simplifying decisive action and a clear plan for jobs and planning rules is likely to put wildlife, growth. Our reforms will create thousands of heritage, and green open spaces in danger. jobs, lessen the dominance of big builders in This is particularly worrying considering the system, providing a major boost for small that the RSPB found that 81 per cent of building companies across the country.”
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