Deputy First Minister Angela Rayner will announce plans to pave the way for 1.5 million new homes.
Minister Angela Rayner is due to announce sweeping changes to England’s town planning system as the government seeks to pave the way for the building of 1.5 million new homes.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Minister is expected to brief MPs on proposed reforms, which include restoring mandatory housing targets and giving more detail about the land Labour will make available for development.
The government says it is committed to protecting nature but allows people to build in low-quality areas known as the grey belt, such as unused car parks and waste land in parts of the conservation area known as the green belt.
Mr Rayner said the announcement would introduce “golden rules” to ensure development works for local people and protects the environment.
Changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, the guidelines that govern the planning system, introduced under the Conservative government, are also expected to be repealed.
The Telegraph reports that Labour will scrap “beauty” requirements for new homes introduced by the Conservatives, which critics say are too vague.
The ruling party’s manifesto used different language, outlining instead the goal of making “exemplary” development “the norm rather than the exception”.
Sir Keir Starmer suggested the Government would be on the side of “builders, not blockers” when it comes to planning policy, as accelerating development is seen as key to its mission to drive economic growth, and said it would consult on how projects should take place, not whether they should take place.
Under the legislation announced in the King’s Speech, the Government will aim to make building land more affordable through reforms to compulsory acquisition compensation rules.
The government said owners who are forced to sell will be paid “fair but not excessive” compensation for significant development under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
The Conservatives suggested Labour was downplaying the scope of the plan, said references to the “grey belt” were propaganda and expressed concern the Government’s plans could weaken local authority powers.
release date: Radio News Hub