Most radical reforms to planning system since the Second World War

Most radical reforms to planning system since the Second World War

14:30 PM, 30th June 2020, About 4 years ago 12

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Build Build Build: Boris Johnson says he will make the most radical reforms to the planning system since the Second World War, making it easier to build where people want to live. New regulations will give greater freedom for buildings and land in our town centres to change use without planning permission and create new homes from the regeneration of vacant and redundant buildings.

Under the new rules, existing commercial properties, including newly vacant shops, can be converted into residential housing more easily, in a move to kick start the construction industry and speed up rebuilding. The changes include:

– More types of commercial premises having total flexibility to be repurposed through reform of the Use Classes Order. A building used for retail, for instance, would be able to be permanently used as a café or office without requiring a planning application and local authority approval. Pubs, libraries, village shops and other types of uses essential to the lifeblood of communities will not be covered by these flexibilities.

– A wider range of commercial buildings will be allowed to change to residential use without the need for a planning application.

– Builders will no longer need a normal planning application to demolish and rebuild vacant and redundant residential and commercial buildings if they are rebuilt as homes.

– Property owners will be able to build additional space above their properties via a fast track approval process, subject to neighbour consultation.

These changes, which are planned to come into effect by September through changes to the law, will both support the high street revival by allowing empty commercial properties to be quickly repurposed and reduce the pressure to build on green field land by making brownfield development easier. Developers will still need to adhere to high standards and regulations, just without the unnecessary red tape.

The Prime Minister also announced that work will begin to look at how land owned by the government can be managed more effectively.

Ahead of the Spending Review, a new, cross-government strategy will look at how public sector land can be managed and released so it can be put to better use. This would include home building, improving the environment, contributing to net zero goals and injecting growth opportunities into communities across the country.

These announcements come alongside a package of measures to support home building across England. These include:

  • A £12bn affordable homes programme that will support up to 180,000 new affordable homes for ownership and rent over the next 8 years, confirmed today.
  • Included in the affordable homes programme will be a 1,500 unit pilot of ‘First Homes’: houses that will be sold to first time buyers at a 30% discount which will remain in perpetuity, keeping them affordable for generations of families to own.
  • Funds from the £400m Brownfield Land Fund have today been allocated to the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region, Sheffield City Region, and North of Tyne and Tees Valley to support around 24,000 homes.
  • The Home Builders Fund to help smaller developers access finance for new housing developments will receive additional £450m boost. This is expected to support delivery of around 7,200 new homes.

Also announced today, the government will launch a planning Policy Paper in July setting out our plan for comprehensive reform of England’s seven-decade old planning system, to introduce a new approach that works better for our modern economy and society.

Later this year, we will also bring forward a Local Recovery White Paper detailing how the UK government will partner with places across the UK to build a sustainable economic recovery, launch our National Infrastructure Plan and legislate for wider de-regulatory reforms.


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Comments

Dylan Morris

9:49 AM, 1st July 2020, About 4 years ago

Great to see Boris getting the building industry moving, we desperately need more homes to house all the new arrivals.

Whiteskifreak Surrey

10:27 AM, 1st July 2020, About 4 years ago

I am not sure how much of that is truth, and how much well placed propaganda. My bet is 20% truth....

Dylan Morris

10:33 AM, 1st July 2020, About 4 years ago

I do like the idea though of reducing the requirement to build on greenbelt land by freeing up more brownfield sites. To be fair there are an awful lot of derelict properties in our cities and large towns that can be freed up.

Property One

10:44 AM, 1st July 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Dylan Morris at 01/07/2020 - 09:49
About the only thing he's going to build is his friends bank balances I'm afraid

terry sullivan

12:23 PM, 1st July 2020, About 4 years ago

radical my arse--boris and his mob are clueless--i have heard the same time and time again--nothing changes except for the worse--councils hate the private sect6or and are as obstructive as they can be

terry sullivan

12:23 PM, 1st July 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Dylan Morris at 01/07/2020 - 10:33
thats been the case for donkeys years--no change at all

Bemused

16:52 PM, 1st July 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Dylan Morris at 01/07/2020 - 09:49
New arrivals?

terry sullivan

17:12 PM, 1st July 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Dancinglandlord at 01/07/2020 - 16:52
yep--hes after 2.9 million chinese--apparently all are millionaires and billionaires

and all will bring houses etc with them!!!

boris is a traitor

Whiteskifreak Surrey

17:22 PM, 1st July 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by terry sullivan at 01/07/2020 - 17:12
Who told you that all are millionaires? Because I KNOW they are not. BoJo is always lying, so probably is doing it right now. At the moment he wants to score some brownie points. Actually I wish it was true, as HK tenants are absolutely brilliant. And the EU citizens are leaving in droves, so we as landlords need people to rent to.
Re: building - as immigrants from Central Europe are leaving for a less dangerous and more welcoming shores, we will need to import those who will BUILD BUILD BUILD. Which countries you propose they will come from? They will need to live somewhere too.

terry sullivan

17:25 PM, 1st July 2020, About 4 years ago

TIC???? geddit?

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