Recommendation 18

The former Minister was reluctant to consider changes to the planning system, arguing that some councils are having successes with the planning tools available Exempt Accommodation 49 to them, and that raising the overall quality will reduce the negative impacts on communities and in turn reduce the need to control the spread of exempt accommodation. However, our evidence pointed out that there is a limit to what local strategies for exempt accommodation can achieve without planning reforms. Councils need the ability to manage supply in line with locally assessed need. They need to be able to balance the provision of much needed family housing. They also need the ability to control the density of exempt accommodation because areas of high concentration can attract those with malicious intent to exploit vulnerable residents.