In a Tuesday speech, Michael Gove will warn of consequences for local governments who fail to meet their housing plan submission deadlines. This statement aims to showcase the government’s dedication to constructing new homes throughout England.
The secretary of housing plans to publicly criticize local governments that do not release their future development plans, warning that intervention may be necessary.
Nevertheless, Gove is expected to announce that the government is reducing housing goals, a decision that industry insiders believe will decrease construction activity throughout the nation.
A representative from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities stated: “Our stance is that the government supports the builders rather than those who hinder progress – it is the responsibility of councils to fulfill their role in providing the necessary homes for the country, without excessively developing rural areas.”
The secretary in charge of housing has already informed local councils that they must take action, and we are offering extensive assistance to aid them in doing so. Therefore, those who fail to act can anticipate government involvement.
Gove’s address concludes a consultation that lasted for a year regarding the government’s national planning policy framework. Gove had high hopes that this framework would stimulate the construction of houses in England, but due to intense pressure from Conservative MPs, he has had to revise it.
The complete framework will be released on Tuesday and it states that local authorities will have the option to deviate from using a population-based formula when creating their long-term housing plans. Instead, they can set lower goals for building houses if they can demonstrate that following the formula would significantly alter the area or require construction on greenbelt areas.
Ministers are currently facing difficulties in achieving their goal of constructing 300,000 new homes annually. Experts caution that if the local targets are weakened, it could result in a significant decrease in new house construction, possibly reaching levels not seen since World War II.
Last year, Gove suggested the alterations following a push from a group of Conservative Members of Parliament, led by Theresa Villiers. They warned to modify the levelling up bill if the changes were not implemented. On Tuesday, the Secretary of Housing will officially acknowledge the triumph of Villiers’ persistent campaign.
Since last year, when Gove proposed the changes, approximately 60 local authorities have postponed, scrapped, or reduced the strength of their plans. Many have specifically cited the uncertainty surrounding the government’s planning policy as the reason for these actions.
The Labour Party has focused on this matter, with Keir Starmer pledging to position his party as the “constructors, not the hindrances”, even if it entails permitting construction on protected land.
Gove’s goal is to put a stop to the delays and he is prepared to take action against any authorities that refuse to comply.
Authorities stated that they had allocated £42.5m towards addressing planning delays and expediting decision-making. However, this additional funding has not yet led to a surge in development. Recent data from the government revealed that 234,400 more residences were built in England in 2022-23, a number nearly identical to the previous year.
Source: theguardian.com
