District councils respond to LGA affordable housing analysis

Responding to analysis by the Local Government Association on the potential impact of the Government’s planning reforms on the provision of affordable housing on small sites, Cllr Tom Beattie, Vice Chair of the District Councils’ Network, said:

“These alarming figures expose the risk that this proposed planning reform could wipe out the building of new affordable homes in many areas.

“The planning system is not a barrier to growth. Districts councils continue to approve 9 in 10 planning permissions and need the tools to ensure large house builders deliver the housing that already have planning permission.

“We are right behind the ambition help our local small builders build the high quality affordable homes that they want to. But this means supporting small builders to access the land, skills and finance.

“These proposals risk doing the opposite, reducing the scope of the local planning system to support small local builders to build affordable local homes.”