George Osborne has revealed reforms to planning rules that will give permission for up to 200,000 new homes.
Under the new reforms, councils will be forced to put in place pre-approved planning permissions on brownfield sites that are suitable for housing.
Speaking at the annual Lord Mayor’s Banquet at Mansion House in London, Osborne said,
“Local authorities will apply local development orders onto sites and we expect over 90% of suitable brownfield land to be covered by 2020. This urban planning revolution will mean that, in effect, development on these sites will be pre-approved – local authorities will be able to specify the type of housing, not whether there is housing. It will mean planning permission for up to 200,000 new homes – while at the same time protecting our green space.”
Developers will also be able to apply directly to central government where councils have not successfully removed planning obstacles on brownfield sites.
The Treasury will provide a £5m fund to help local authorities create the first 100 sites with LDOs.
Twenty ‘housing zones’ creating 50,000 homes around the capital are planned. The Mayor will be granted extra powers to strip away planning restrictions in these areas, which will include new infrastructure.
Areas already earmarked are Enfield, Tower Hamlets, Ealing, Haringey and Wandsworth, with a £400m pot from the Treasury and Greater London Authority to assist building.
