Housing and Planning Bill outlined
The Prime Minister has outlined the likely contents of the Housing and Planning Bill. The starter homes initiative (replacing the provision of on-site affordable housing) is perhaps the largest and most controversial change but the Bill will also contain other initiatives designed to boost housing supply.
The 'trailer' does not contain anything new in respect of the Build to Rent sector, either indicating that the government considers that it has now successfully kick-started investment and delivery of purpose built rented homes, or indicating that policy over the next 5 years will be all about home ownership. One to watch.
new affordable Starter Homes – a new legal duty will be placed on councils to guarantee the delivery of Starter Homes on all reasonably sized new development sites, and promote the scheme to first-time buyers in their area. The government is also announcing today that local authorities will be able to bid for a share of a £10 million Starter Homes fund – helping councils prepare brownfield sites that would otherwise not be built for starter homes.
automatic planning permission in principle on brownfield sites – to build as many homes as possible while protecting the green belt
planning reforms to support small builders – placing a new duty on councils to help allocate land to people who want to build their own home
selling off high value vacant assets – which will be reinvested in building new affordable homes”