Consultation On Proposed Changes To National Planning Policy

The government has issued a consultation paper on proposed changes to national planning policy including proposed changes to broaden the definition of affordable housing. It covers the following areas:

·         Broadening the definition of affordable housing to expand the definition of affordable housing for planning purposes to include a wider range of home ownership models including starter homes and other low cost home ownership models not held "in perpetuity";

·         Increasing the density of development around commuter hubs to make more efficient use of land in suitable locations;

·         Supporting sustainable new settlements, development on brownfield land and small sites, and delivery of housing numbers agreed in Local Plans;

·         Supporting delivery of starter homes

Find the consultation on the CLG website.

Generation Rent Should Not Be Overlooked

The British Property Federation (BPF) has urged the Government to focus on delivery of all housing tenures, not just owner-occupation, in response to Prime Minister David Cameron’s announcement that national planning policy will be changed to allow developers to build and sell Starter Homes in place of affordable housing requirements. The organisation has warned that, although initiatives to create more homes for sale are welcome, high house prices and the growing number of private renters in the UK means that more must be done to encourage the purpose-built rental sector, which has £30bn ready to invest, and the potential to deliver a significant number of new homes. Read more on the BPF website.

Government Policy on Affordable Housing Exemption Thresholds Quashed

Two Berkshire councils have won a landmark High Court challenge over government policy brought in last November which set a threshold on the size of developments beneath which planning authorities should not seek affordable housing contributions through section 106 agreements. That has now been quashed as has the vacant building credit policy. Under those provisions affordable housing requirements were reduced according to the extent to which a housing proposal involved the re-use or redevelopment of vacant buildings. As a result of the ruling by Mr Justice Holgate some 12 paragraphs have been removed from the National Planning Policy Guidance. Read more on the Planning Portal website.