Select committee: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 21
First Report - The future of the planning system in England
Published 10 Jun 2021
Paragraph 144
Addressed to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee The future of the planning system in England All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We welcome the additional funding for brownfield sites outlined in the Comprehensive Spending Review. In our engagement activities with the public it was clear there was support for prioritising brownfield locations and unhappiness at the perception this was not taking place. This in turn nurtured wider hostility to the 300,000-housing unit target. It is important that the public has confidence in the Government commitment to brownfield sites, but also understands why those sites alone are insufficient to deliver their target. Accordingly, the Government should publish the evidence showing why the level of house building that could be supported by brownfield sites alone are insufficient to delivering the required homes. The Government must also explain why the proportion of new residential address The future of the planning system in England 105 created on previously developed land has fallen in recent years. In addition, Local Plans should be able to prioritise the use of brownfield sites for development ahead of other sites.
From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, First Report - The future of the planning system in England (HC 38), paragraph 144, 10 June 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 17 May 2022 (deadline 10 August 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response agrees with the Committee on a number of recommendations, including not pursuing the three areas proposal, while declining to extend the 30-month local plan timetable and having no plans for a national Green Belt review.
- It agrees with the recommendation on the three areas proposal and "will not be pursuing three area types in the reformed planning system".
- It "does not accept" the recommendation to extend the 30-month plan-making timeframe, stating that reforms make 30 months "achievable" and that it "will consult on the detail of these regulations in due course".
- On planning fees, it intends to increase them by 35% for major and 25% for minor applications, "subject to consultation", which it says will take place in the summer.
- On the Green Belt, it "has no plans for a national review" and says the National Planning Policy Framework's protections "will remain".