Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner, has declared that "local views should be heard on how to deliver housing and not whether to deliver housing". This is the message delivered alongside the launch of DCLG's new consultation on housing delivery focused changes to the National Planning Policy Framework.
Labour's proposals include both the reintroduction of mandatory targets and a mandatory standard method for calculating housing need.
This new calculation will use a stronger affordability multiplier, to encourage delivery where price pressures are greatest. However previous government's automatic "urban uplift" for large cities is removed to ensure delivery is based on objective need across all local authorities.
The presumption in favour of sustainable development will be strengthened and the requirement to demonstrate 5 year supply reintroduced. This is despite the government acknowledging that (as many authorities do not have an up to date local plan) the presumption will apply to many applications at least in the short term.
The anticipated "Grey Belt" definition includes all land within the green belt that has either been previously developed or that makes only a "limited contribution" to green belt purposes.
Where councils cannot meet identified housing need they will be forced to undertake a review of their green belt boundaries, the aim being to unlock new land on which to deliver the increased housing targets.
This release of green belt land comes with "golden rules" attached which require 50% of all homes built to be affordable as well as increased requirement for infrastructure and open space to be delivered close to such developments.
All of these changes point to a clear shift in policy designed to overcome local objections and the constraints of the green belt in order to prioritise delivery of the new national target of 370,000 new homes per year.
The changes will however remove some national requirements including those relating to affordable home ownership products, such as the 25% requirement for First Homes, these are now considered better dealt with at a local level.
The NPPF consultation will run until 24 September.
