A slow-down in house-building due to the coronavirus crisis could
see councils unfairly penalised, and communities denied a say in
new developments under current planning rules, a new survey by
the District Councils’ Network warns today.
With construction on new homes almost coming to a stand-still in
the recent months, many councils fear, through no fault of their
own, that they may fall short of meeting their housing targets,
meaning local plans designating where development can take place
and agreed by local residents can be ignored by developers.
This is despite council planning departments continuing to work
and approve housing schemes during the lockdown.
The DCN, which represents 187 district councils in England with
responsibility for planning and housebuilding, is warning that
this risks opening the door to speculative developments taking
place beyond the control and oversight of local communities.
Ahead of the expected publication of proposed planning reforms
this week, it is calling on the Government to take a pragmatic
approach to support councils, and amend existing planning
guidelines.
This comes as the DCN’s new survey found that over half (57 per
cent) of respondents were very concerned about the impact of
coronavirus on being able to sustain a supply of land for housing
over the next five years – known as the five-year land supply.
As a result of not having a land supply, local planning policies
will not apply and areas could see developments which are refused
following for example, objections from local residents, able to
proceed on appeal.
Nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of responding councils also fear
they would not meet the Government’s housing delivery test, which
sets targets on house building in local areas.
This would mean new developments would be subject to
nationally-defined planning policies as opposed to local plans
agreed by local communities.
The DCN is calling for the current planning guidelines to be
changed to take account of the house-building slow-down caused by
coronavirus, so councils are not unfairly penalised.
This should include a suspension of the five-year land supply and
housing delivery test requirements.
In spite of the challenges of COVID-19, councils have adapted and
ensured that the planning system has been able to continue
functioning as normally as possible. They now need government to
support them with these recommended changes.
Cllr Mark Crane, DCN lead member for stronger economies, said:
“Councils have serious concerns that they will be unfairly
penalised as a result of house-building slowing down because of
the coronavirus crisis.
“The loss of new homes built will have a significant impact on
the five-year land supply, which without protection would allow
developers to bypass local community wishes.
“We need the Government to focus on achieving delivery of
house-building on allocated sites and avoid the corrosive effects
of speculative development where communities don’t have a say.
“District councils want to play a leading role in the national
recovery from the pandemic and building desperately-needed homes
again will be a vital part of this.
“But we cannot compromise on the quality of new homes and places
and side-line public consultation.
“This is why we need the Government to step in and suspend the
five year land supply and Housing Delivery Test requirements, and
devolve the tools for councils invest in the infrastructure and
building that will create jobs and homes.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
- The survey was sent to 187 District Council Chief Executives,
86 responses to the survey were received, representing 46% of DCN
member authorities.
