Guidance For Housing And NSIPs

The government has published guidance confirming the details of measures that will see major infrastructure projects that include up to 500 homes considered as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). This follows regulations about such schemes being laid before Parliament. The guidance covers changes to the Planning Act 2008 made by section 160 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016, which received Royal Assent in May last year. The guidance states that the government wants to ensure that the flexibility being provided to allow an element of housing to be consented under the 2008 Act “does not undermine the local planning process and the wider responsibilities for local authorities to plan for housing needs in their area”. Read more on the Planning Portal.

Call To Cut Local Councils Out Of Housing Schemes

The housing shortage has become so severe in Britain that building projects should be considered by central government rather than by local authorities, according to a new report. Housebuilding should be brought into the nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIP) regime, a report commissioned by Bond Dickinson, the law firm, and Quod, the planning consultancy, says. This would enable developers to apply directly to the government for planning permission, bypassing local authority planning regulations. The report states that there is a “clear imperative for central government to show strong political leadership in driving large-scale housing development in the national public interest”. Read more on the Bond Dickinson website.