What the Conservatives have got right in housing
The Housing and Planning Act is a mess, it should've been redrafted entirely. However for now, we're stuck with it.
The Conservatives got and are getting a lot wrong, but their 'right to buy' is Labours 'PFI'. We need to use the good policies well, so that the ill-thought out ones are a blip in the memory of a Home Information Pack consultant.
Though the Act is a fine example of how not to draft policy the Conservatives have received a lot of negative press surrounding their complete efforts. But are all their efforts on housing so dire?
In the 1980's housebuilding was led by housebuilders, development was mostly organic and industry prescribed. We built a lot of houses and locally. In the 90's things changed, local authorities began deciding community expansion and local housebuilding became a lot more centralised.
At first local authorities were equipped to deal with this change, many of the same decision makers remained. Yet as time passed local authorities saw themselves as the deciders and not the enablers.
Today the culture of co-operation has almost disappeared with planning being used as a tool of revenue and political gain.
Austerity is another conversation entirely and only part of the problem.
Today the culture of co-operation has almost disappeared with planning being used as a tool of revenue and political gain.
Austerity is another conversation entirely and only part of the problem.
The Conservatives are definitely trying to undo this mess. Though they're making a bit of a hash of it.
Five year land supply / Local Planning
The Government requires all Local Authorities to produce a five year land supply and local plan. Not having one/meeting targets gives developers powers to challenge decisions. There is a presumption in favour of sustainable development. It does however get homes built.
This policy favours very large developers as appeals are very expensive and time consuming. Also it can be argued that this policy is a perfect companion for landbankers.
This policy favours very large developers as appeals are very expensive and time consuming. Also it can be argued that this policy is a perfect companion for landbankers.
Further powers for the Secretary of State to intervene in planning decisions
The five year land supply requirement has not worked for communities. Local authorities failed to produce deliverable targets. With the secretary of state now able to intervene we may see less political planning.
Local Authorities could use this to their advantage, however the huge negative is it precludes local and regional builders from challenging which in turn stifles tenure/type versatility.
The secretary of state will not get involved in an 8 house development for Mr Smith of Acacia Drive and the developer cannot afford to take it that far.
Much more work is needed to depoliticise planning and the Government is trialing a private planning scheme.
Local Authorities could use this to their advantage, however the huge negative is it precludes local and regional builders from challenging which in turn stifles tenure/type versatility.
The secretary of state will not get involved in an 8 house development for Mr Smith of Acacia Drive and the developer cannot afford to take it that far.
Much more work is needed to depoliticise planning and the Government is trialing a private planning scheme.
Affordable home small site exemptions
Any site delivering less than 10 homes will not have to provide affordable housing. 5 in rural areas.
This policy is imperative to re-balancing the market as it will get small and medium housebuilders (SMEs) building.
SME housebuilders started declining from 2000 onward. Losing 25% of the market (now 27%) their sector has shrunk by 60%.
Since that time house prices have gone up eye watering amounts, especially in the South. Housing and tenure variety has been decreased, local employment/training has reduced, social housing numbers have dropped, large site decade long projects have increased in number and supply has been constrained heavily. We're building 60,00 less homes.
The fact is the UK cannot survive with SME housebuilders. They deliver additionality, collaboration, competition and contribute to a sustainable local economy. The housing problem became a crisis when they declined.
Two local authorities actually quashed this policy at the high court, but the decision was reversed when the Government appealed.
Any site delivering less than 10 homes will not have to provide affordable housing. 5 in rural areas.
This policy is imperative to re-balancing the market as it will get small and medium housebuilders (SMEs) building.
SME housebuilders started declining from 2000 onward. Losing 25% of the market (now 27%) their sector has shrunk by 60%.
Since that time house prices have gone up eye watering amounts, especially in the South. Housing and tenure variety has been decreased, local employment/training has reduced, social housing numbers have dropped, large site decade long projects have increased in number and supply has been constrained heavily. We're building 60,00 less homes.
The fact is the UK cannot survive with SME housebuilders. They deliver additionality, collaboration, competition and contribute to a sustainable local economy. The housing problem became a crisis when they declined.
Two local authorities actually quashed this policy at the high court, but the decision was reversed when the Government appealed.
Increased Compulsory Purchase Order powers
Local Authorities needed more power to bring land forward. This policy gives them that but how will it be used? Will it release land and create homes? Or capital? Will it be used to deliver affordable options, or affordable homes?
Brownfield Register
Developers need to know where local authorities want to build. With a list there is a necessity of conversation. For small and medium developers this is valuable in itself but it also empowers the local community.
Developers need to know where local authorities want to build. With a list there is a necessity of conversation. For small and medium developers this is valuable in itself but it also empowers the local community.
Neighbourhood planning
Long overdue but potentially deadly to stopping development. Communities can come together and decide how they can meet the local authority targets. If communities want 5, 10, 50, 100, 200 and not 500-800 homes on one site they can decide that. Sadly, in proactive areas such as St Albans the policy can be used to shut out development.
It'll be interesting to see whether the Secretary of State gets involved in wealthier Conservative constituencies that actively stop homes being built.
Long overdue but potentially deadly to stopping development. Communities can come together and decide how they can meet the local authority targets. If communities want 5, 10, 50, 100, 200 and not 500-800 homes on one site they can decide that. Sadly, in proactive areas such as St Albans the policy can be used to shut out development.
It'll be interesting to see whether the Secretary of State gets involved in wealthier Conservative constituencies that actively stop homes being built.
Self build/custom build
With neighbourhood planning comes 15 vanguard local authorities who are trying to empower local people to get homes built themselves. They will be a test bed and help deliver the housebuilding opportunities enjoyed in most of Europe.
Local Authorities will also need to keep a list of people who want to self build, as well as the sites which match their ambitions.
Local Authorities will also need to keep a list of people who want to self build, as well as the sites which match their ambitions.
As an industrial strategy this makes sense. Not only do you encourage new entrants into housebuilding but you support funding efforts in offsite manufacturing and energy efficiency.
Better borrowing limits
Much called for and undervalued by Labour, who preferred PFI. Local authorities can borrow more against their stock and compete a little better to either deliver, or get homes delivered.
Permitted Development
Turn that disused building into residential living. Some local authorities acted to protect strategic areas others prescribed the homes they wanted. Most did nothing and now complain all they got were one and two beds.
Turn that disused building into residential living. Some local authorities acted to protect strategic areas others prescribed the homes they wanted. Most did nothing and now complain all they got were one and two beds.
Simplifying planning
When building a house you need to discharge conditions. Some of these include archaeological and ecological assessments. Since these became individually chargeable they have increased hugely in number. This has directly stifled viability and increased final home prices. It has also stopped SMEs from planning one or two projects ahead due to associated costs.
The Conservatives have encouraged industry to change, for example Natural England have developed a licensing system. Government is also encouraging local authorities to use red line planning which will reduce delays no end. These delays usually hit appropriate small developments.
When building a house you need to discharge conditions. Some of these include archaeological and ecological assessments. Since these became individually chargeable they have increased hugely in number. This has directly stifled viability and increased final home prices. It has also stopped SMEs from planning one or two projects ahead due to associated costs.
The Conservatives have encouraged industry to change, for example Natural England have developed a licensing system. Government is also encouraging local authorities to use red line planning which will reduce delays no end. These delays usually hit appropriate small developments.
From the outside it's not difficult to argue that in theory these policies are perfect for delivering the homes we need, but in practice the evidence is anything but positive.
Firstly and most importantly the Government never took the time to explain why they were putting these policies in place. Also vague wording was fairly typical.
If local authorities understood why some of these policies were imperative to placemaking and not just delivery they might have used their time proactively. Instead many continued as they were.
Firstly and most importantly the Government never took the time to explain why they were putting these policies in place. Also vague wording was fairly typical.
If local authorities understood why some of these policies were imperative to placemaking and not just delivery they might have used their time proactively. Instead many continued as they were.
I do hold the Government to account here, they wanted huge change without recognising how ingrained the existing culture was. It's only now that local authorities recognise the need to become enablers.
However, the majority of Local Authorities are still not meeting or setting deliverable targets. The government is now in a stronger position to assert itself and the Housing and Planning Bill became an Act.
Their positions strengthens once more when you realise local authorities are wasting more time by concentrating on planning gain and not supply.
However, the majority of Local Authorities are still not meeting or setting deliverable targets. The government is now in a stronger position to assert itself and the Housing and Planning Bill became an Act.
Their positions strengthens once more when you realise local authorities are wasting more time by concentrating on planning gain and not supply.
The Housing and Planning Act is a poor attempt to depoliticise planning without understanding the practical consequences. I believe they call it 'back of a fag packet'. It's a mess.
The above solutions can improve the housing crisis even if many are a decade too late. However they follow an epic mess directly caused by mismanagement on all sides.
This Government needs to spend less time prescribing solutions and more time unravelling the mess that started almost thirty years ago. They need to work with local authorities to achieve 'buy in' and recognise when a policy is disproportionately used.
The local authorities however must turn into enablers, for all sections of the building industry. This means individuals, SMEs, volume, Housing Associations, Co-operatives and investors.
The above solutions can improve the housing crisis even if many are a decade too late. However they follow an epic mess directly caused by mismanagement on all sides.
This Government needs to spend less time prescribing solutions and more time unravelling the mess that started almost thirty years ago. They need to work with local authorities to achieve 'buy in' and recognise when a policy is disproportionately used.
The local authorities however must turn into enablers, for all sections of the building industry. This means individuals, SMEs, volume, Housing Associations, Co-operatives and investors.
The Conservatives got and are getting a lot wrong, but their 'right to buy' is Labours 'PFI'. We need to use the good policies well, so that the ill-thought out ones are a blip in the memory of a Home Information Pack consultant.
Comments
Post a Comment