Developers who sit on planning permissions will be penalised
The Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, which includes a range of proposals impacting local government, completed its remaining stages in the Commons in December.
The LGA has been monitoring, briefing, and supporting the tabling of amendments to the Bill as it has progressed.
The Bill acts upon long-running asks from councils and the LGA for further devolution in England.
It also covers other areas affecting councils of all sizes, including council tax, second homes and holiday lets, risk-mitigation measures, pavement licensing, and conditions when changing street names.
A significant part of the Bill includes reforms to the planning system.
We have been broadly supportive of the guiding principles of the reforms; however, some detail is needed to ensure these guiding principles can be applied in practice.
The Government delayed the last day of the Bill’s remaining stages, in order to bring it back to the Commons with a series of new clauses that effectively mean housebuilding targets will no longer be mandatory.
The LGA said it was good ministers had recognised that national, top-down algorithms and formulas can never be a substitute for local knowledge and decision-making by those who know their areas best, and that these changes would ensure the right homes are built in the right places, with the right infrastructure.
The Government also brought forward new clauses that would penalise developers who sit on planning permissions longer than necessary – something for which the LGA has long been calling.
This will mean more homes can be provided in a speedy manner to those who need them the most. As the LGA has repeatedly highlighted, land for more than 2.6 million homes has been allocated in councils’ local plans, and nine in 10 planning applications are approved.
In addition, the Government tabled a new clause that makes regulations requiring or permitting the registration of specified “short-term rental properties”.
It confirmed it will be consulting on this issue, and hopes to bring in legislation as a result. This change to the Bill is welcome, as LGA and member councils have submitted evidence outlining the impact that unregulated lets are having on local areas
As the Bill enters the Lords this month, we are continuing to seek changes to it relating to the levelling-up missions, risk-mitigation measures, pavement licensing, ‘street’ votes on housing developments, and, of course, the planning reforms.
Parliamentary reception
The Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill was just one of the many council priorities discussed at the LGA’s annual parliamentary reception, which returned for the first time in three years last month.
The event was a fantastic celebration of councils’ achievements, and it was great to see so many councillors, senior council officers, ministers and parliamentarians all gathering to support local communities.
Speakers – including Lee Rowley MP, the Minister of State for Local Government and Building Safety; Cllr James Jamieson, LGA Chairman; Florence Eshalomi MP, LGA Vice-President; and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, LGA President – all praised the work of councils.
Baroness Grey-Thompson voiced her support for the LGA’s Debate not Hate campaign. It was good to see so many parliamentarians and councillors engage with the campaign, including Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary Michael Gove (pictured below), who also stopped by the event.
