Responding to the planning proposals announced today by the
Housing Secretary, Cllr David Renard, Local Government
Association planning spokesman, said:
“It is vital that the Government does not take away more of
the powers councils and communities need over planning
developments in their local area.
“The planning system is not a barrier to housebuilding. It
gives protection to communities so they can ensure new
developments are environmentally-friendly, safe, supported by the
right infrastructure and include affordable homes.
“Council planning departments work hard to approve nine in
10 planning applications as quickly as possible with the number
of permissions granted for new homes doubling since 2012.
However, taxpayers are still having to subsidise a £180
million annual bill to cover the cost of processing applications,
which is why councils need to be able to set their own planning
fees.
“Permissions granted are outstripping the number of homes
being built with more than a million homes having been given
planning permission in the last decade remaining unbuilt or
unfinished.
“If we are to build the right homes we need as a nation and
in the right places, the planning system needs to be protected
and councils must be able to resume their historic role as major
builders of affordable homes. They need powers to take
action on unbuilt land which has planning permission and a
reformed Right to Buy system which allows councils to replace
sold homes and set discounts locally.”
