Yesterday’s Queen’s Speech saw the Government outline its plans for modernising the planning system in order to bring more new homes into the pipeline.
The new Planning Bill is designed to streamline and “modernise” the planning system.
Here are some of the reactions from across the industry:
“The proposed changes will help the government achieve its ambitious targets of delivering 300,000 new homes a year and will bring much-needed stock to the housing market”
Dave Sheridan, ilke Homes
“The proposed changes will help the government achieve its ambitious targets of delivering 300,000 new homes a year and will bring much-needed stock to the housing market. While delivering more housing is vital, and rightly a central part of the reforms, policymakers must ensure that homes being delivered today are suitable for tomorrow.
“By reserving public land exclusively for factory-built homes, which are highly energy-efficient, the Government will ensure that its housing policies are aligned with its climate ones.”
“Homeownership remains the aspiration for the vast majority of Britons”
Dean Clifford, Great Marlborough Estates
“Whether owning a home turns you into a Tory is debatable but what’s not debatable is homeownership remains the aspiration for the vast majority of Britons and it is right the government should look to prioritise getting people onto the housing ladder.
“A new zonal system that simplifies the planning process would is a welcome move. Planning authorities should also have the necessary resources to enforce the strict design codes promised and it is crucial that so-called ‘growth’ areas are fairly distributed and cover where housing need is greatest.”
“Simply constructing more houses will not necessarily help, they must be the right houses within the right ecosystems”
Jamie Johnson, FJP Investment
“It’s clearly a careful balancing act. For me, however, there must also be a keen focus on the quality of the new-build projects. Evidence has shown in the past that many prospective homebuyers are put off buying newly-built homes, either because they dislike the style and character of the property, they do not trust the quality of the work, or the surrounding area and infrastructure do not appeal. Simply constructing more houses will not necessarily help, they must be the right houses within the right ecosystems. As ever, the devil will be in the detail as the Bill takes shape.”
“The shortage of affordable housing across the UK is one of the biggest issues facing society today.”
Paresh Raja, Market Financial Solutions
“The shortage of affordable housing across the UK is one of the biggest issues facing society today. Countless successive governments have laid out ambitious targets for the construction of new homes, and then missed them. That is why I believe it is positive to see a more fundamental shift in policy – tackling the issues within the underlying planning system.”
“Build back better and progress the levelling up agenda”
Richard Beresford, National Federation of Builders
“Changes to procurement, employment, housing, environment and broadband are welcomed, though the devil will always be in the detail. We will be engaging with the Government on the upcoming bills but also paying close attention to how we progress funding for research and development, skills training, national infrastructure, freeports, climate and even immigration, so we can build back better and progress the levelling up agenda.”
“It will be a balancing act to boost housing supply without compromising on design”
Santhosh Gowda, Strawberry Star
“Modernising our time-honoured planning laws was never going to be easy, but certainly the idea of a dynamic, flexible, digitalised system is an exciting prospect for all. It will be a balancing act to boost housing supply without compromising on design, community, and ecology, whilst also ensuring it fits with the government’s ‘Building Better Building Beautiful’ ethos too.”
