Making housebuilding targets mandatory centralises policy and weakens local decision-making powers, the LGA has warned in response to proposed planning reforms. Such a move would reduce flexibilities to develop an area over time, and make it more difficult to meet local and national priorities.
All councils have their part to play, through their local plans, to improve housebuilding outcomes, including the essential need to deliver more homes for social rent and homes that are genuinely affordable, according to the LGA.
It supports the Government’s commitment to empower local authorities to deliver more homes, particularly for social and affordable rents and, in its response to a consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), sets out a range of pragmatic ideas about how to do so.
The LGA’s response highlights that planning permission is not a barrier to housebuilding, with local authorities approving almost nine in 10 planning applications despite significant resourcing and capacity issues.
It also warns that some of the proposals in the Government’s consultation, including a new methodology to determine mandatory housebuilding targets, could lead to unintended consequences, such as speculative unplanned development without the infrastructure to meet the needs of communities.
LGA Housing Spokesperson Cllr Adam Hug said: “There is a strong appetite across local government to work constructively to improve coverage of local plans and encourage housebuilding.
“However, councils and local communities know their areas best, and need to be full partners in tackling the housing crisis, with new development supported by the infrastructure needed to make communities thrive, and proper consultation and engagement that can help ensure local people are able to benefit.”
