New Lords Committee To Take On Growing Housing Demand

New Built Environment Lords Committee will look at the government’s housing target, the impact of reforms to the planning system and how barriers to meeting housing demand can be overcome. The House of Lords has created a new select committee to look at the built environment. We have been appointed to look at housing, planning, transport and infrastructure. The built environment shapes all our lives:  how and where we all live, how we get to work and travel for leisure, the health and sustainability of our communities, and how we live in our older age and protect the most vulnerable in society. Read more on the Politics Home website.

New Lords committee to take on growing housing demand (politicshome.com)

Government Refuses Major Changes Recommended By Lords Committee

In February, the House of Lords Committee on National Policy for the Built Environment suggested changes to council borrowing caps, a review of the 1% rent cut and issued a call to “reconsider” its proposal to include Starter Homes within the definition of affordable housing.  In its response the government said it did not agree with the committee that the 1% rent cut may “threaten the viability of new schemes” planned by councils. The government did not accept the committee’s recommendation to review the impact of borrowing restriction on councils’ ability to deliver housing and said it is “important that the definition of affordable housing for planning purposes supports present and future innovation by housing providers in meeting the needs of a wide range of households who are unable to access market housing”. Read more on Inside Housing.