Two-Thirds Of Councils Could Face Centrally Set Housing Targets

Failing to set up Local Plans could expose almost two-thirds of English councils to new government measures encouraging housing delivery. The report by planning and development consultancy Lichfields, entitled Planned and Deliver, found that only 36% of local authorities have completed Local Plans, while 43% have not yet published a draft. The government’s proposal is that if a council does not have a Local Plan in place by November, its targets for housing delivery will be set according to central estimates for household formation. Read more on Inside Housing.

HCA Chair: We Will Hammer Councils Which Fail To Deliver Targets

Local authorities which fail to deliver housing delivery targets set through standard measures will get “caned”, the Homes and Communities Agency chair has warned.  Sir Edward Lister suggested that the Local Plans shake-ups in the Housing White Paper were the “most important” factor in the government achieving its target of building a million homes by 2020. He said: “It is about Local Plans and about five-year housing supply being identified sensibly and properly. And there’s all sorts of stuff in the White Paper about that and having to have a five-year housing supply and a Local Plan and if you don’t you’re going to get caned.” Read more on Inside Housing.

Free Up Councils To Build Homes, Says Think Tank

The government must free up local authorities to take more decisions on how and where housing can be delivered, a new report says. Independent think tank Localis argues only by affording local authorities greater flexibility around finance and land can the government hope to achieve the million new homes target by 2020. The report ‘makes a series of recommendations to drive a ‘new surge’ in housebuilding, including;

·         HRA debt cap is lifted to better reflect local authorities’ ability to service debt.

·         Right to Buy receipts are fully retained locally, for local authorities to invest in replacing disposed stock.

·         Combined authorities are devolved powers to freeze land values as part of their Mayoral Development Corporation.

Read more on 24housing.

Council Reveals £130m Housing Plan

Liverpool City Council is planning to build 2,000 new homes over the next three years and bring empty homes back into use as part of a £130 million investment in housing. A £20m fund to support first-time buyers will also form part of the housing delivery plan. The plan involves making council-owned brownfield sites available to registered providers for housing at no cost. The council said the plan would be financed through borrowing and by using capital receipts and that it had also bid for £10m of funds through the housing market renewal transition fund and could potentially receive revenue from the new homes bonus. Read more on the Liverpool City Council website.