Jeremy's Blog 28th July 2023: The Politics of Planning
This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 27th July 2023
With an election next year and the problems of a seriously under-supplied housing market, the political parties are on manoeuvres over planning policies in England. Labour has been setting out an apparently pro-development stall for some months, with local housing targets, development corporations to take and develop land, breaking the “taboo” of the green belt and favouring onshore wind. The Conservative Government, with development policies stymied by its backbenches, has this week laid out much of its approach in speeches, consultation papers and press briefings.
The Prime Minister spoke first, placing his emphasis on urban redevelopment and regeneration, rather than greenfield and rural land – not “concreting over the countryside”. Echoing its April 2021 repositioning after the 2020 White Paper (see webnote) and following the Levelling Up White Paper, the focus is on 20 cities using development corporations with compulsory purchase. Reference was made to Barrow in Furness, Leeds, east London, Sheffield and Wolverhampton. With a science theme, an “urban quarter” would be developed in Cambridge providing large numbers of houses and laboratories. He sketched themes then developed by Michael Gove’s statement.
Already opposed by the local MP, Cambridge is to be led by a Delivery Group, reviewing the mechanisms for development. The necessary support for infrastructure is recognised, including a Water Scarcity Group working on constraints and the Fens Reservoir. Saying that “Land values will reflect the substantial contributions required to unlock the development”, the Government is to explore “what a reasonable premium to agricultural landowners might be” for viability assessments and then consult more specifically for Cambridge.
Michael Gove emphasises the role of design codes with an Office for Place to work from Stoke on Trent. Local planners are to have back up support, in Cambridge and elsewhere, to handle large applications. A separate response proposes a general 25 per cent increase in planning fees to help fund planning departments.
Another response intends to speed the process for transport, energy and other infrastructure approvals.
Looking at the wider potential for such urban “densification”, illustrated by other western countries, a consultation is issued on further permitted development rights to change from commercial uses, shops and offices, to residential. Over 94,000 dwellings have already been created in seven years using such rights without local planning permission.
That consultation – see webnote – suggests easing some farming and rural development, including Classes Q and R, an increase to the limit on permitted farm buildings to 1,500m2, and opens a welcome discussion of rights for farm infrastructure and environmental works. The CAAV will be looking at this paper very closely.
These proposals, including their silence on nutrient neutrality, were quizzed in the House of Lords, still sitting on Monday. Replying for the Government, Baroness Swinburne, referring to work on removing pollution at source, said:
“Nutrient pollution is an urgent problem, and the Government are clear that nutrient neutrality can only be an interim solution in the broader context of all the other environmental and biodiversity issues.” (Lords, 24th
July 2023, col 15)
There may yet be further planning amendments to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill in its final stages at the start of September.
While judging whether any party is yet really tackling the scale of the housing shortage and looking beyond its symptoms, these statements can draw the eye away from the real challenge of meeting housing demand in areas of greatest economic activity which may often have the least brownfield land, revealing pressure in house prices and the squeezed rental sector. Many rural areas express that pain more exquisitely as amenity and leisure conflict with functional viability. Both parties’ diagnoses may be needed, combined with leadership, explanation and will.