Updated July 2024
Over the past few weeks, we have seen a new Labour government be elected alongside a powerful King’s speech promising change. But what will the impact of these promises really be?
Planning and heritage assets partner, Nigel Hewitson breaks down the key headlines:
Housing targets:
There’s not really anything new in a target of 1.5 million new homes over a five year period. For many years successive governments have promised 300,000 new homes a year – the widely acknowledged number of new homes we need to keep up with household formation. The return to “mandatory” targets is to be welcomed. But the previous government had mandatory targets until December last year and failed to deliver on its 2019 promise of 300,000 new homes a year. Other factors (the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and, dare one say, loss of skilled trades as a result of Brexit) haven’t helped but it’s clear that mandatory targets in and of themselves won’t necessarily deliver more houses.
End of the “ban” on onshore wind
This is to be welcomed. It was an obvious party-political decision taken on the basis that most wind farms would be in the countryside where a majority of voters were perceived to be Conservative and resistant to having their views “spoiled”.
The green belt and grey belt issue
The idea of grey belt is, in my opinion, to be welcomed in principle – as long as the original purposes of green belt (preventing urban sprawl and preventing neighbouring towns merging into one conurbation) are not compromised. Not all green belt is quality green space with high biodiversity and utilising low quality “grey belt” land on the edge of towns is to be preferred to extensions to villages with no or inadequate facilities for existing and new residents.
Support for local authorities
It is good to see government acknowledging that part of the problem has been a lack of resources in local planning authorities. Support for the provision of additional planning officers is to be welcomed with the caveat that it takes time to train new planning officers and, without significant increases in pay grades, it will be difficult to attract experienced planners (who are the most important resource as they deal with the big, complex cases) from the private sector.
Reform of policy
I welcome the emphasis on changing policy as well as providing support. Too often previous governments of both parties have tried to change planning legislation to try and fix perceived problems. In my view there is little wrong with the legislation itself (although, of course, nothing is perfect). I have long said that the main problems the planning system faces are the views of objectors (who already have homes near to new developments) being privileged over those who will ultimately benefit from the new housing; a lack of resources in planning departments, Councillors, when it comes to considering planning applications, being expected to cease being politicians and become impartial judges in the teeth of often vociferous objections from those who voted for them and a sometimes confusing policy framework. I’ll reserve judgement on the proposed policy changes until there’s a bit more detail available but the emphasis on delivering infrastructure (which isn’t always delivered to the extent it needs to be in big new developments) is to be welcomed.
Nigel Hewitson (Partner)
Nigel is an expert in planning law and listed buildings. He co-wrote the leading authority textbook, “Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets” (6th Ed) and is a Member of the Legal Sub Panel for the Institute of Historic Building Conservation. He has advised on major planning projects including the Stonehenge/A303 Tunnel Public Inquiry and multiple public inquiries into tall buildings in London including The Shard.
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