Consultation On Planning Reforms To Support The High Street And Increase The Delivery Of New Homes

Alongside the Autumn 2018 Budget, the government published the consultation Planning Reform: Supporting the high street and increasing the delivery of new homes.

Supporting the high street and increasing the delivery of new homes the consultation paper will run from the 29th October 2018 to the 14th January 2019 and seeks views on a package of measures aimed at making best use of land and speeding up the delivery of new homes. 

The proposed reforms include:

  • Changing permitted development rights (including some changes of use) to allow, among other things, upward extensions to create additional homes and the demolition of existing commercial buildings to enable residential redevelopment.
  • Extending the freedom of local authorities to dispose of surplus land at less than best consideration without seeking consent from the Secretary of State.
  • Draft guidance on the compulsory purchase powers of new town development corporations, including the factors that ministers will take into account when deciding whether or not to confirm new town compulsory purchase orders.
  • The government is also seeking views on the first draft listed building consent order (LBCO). The LBCO would grant listed building consent for works executed by the Canal and River Trust for the alteration or extension of a waterway structure.

The government believes the plans would help revive high streets and increase housing delivery.

The main proposal within this document is to both extend and create additional many Permitted Development Rights (the granting of planning consent without the usual requirements, including consultation). The civic movement is concerned about how any changes to Permitted Development Rights undermine the character of an area and impact on public participation in the planning system. 

The consultation relates to England only and closes on 14 January 2019. The government is keen to hear from both the public and private sectors as well as the general public.

Civic Voice will be responding to this consultation and would welcome thoughts to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Source https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-reform-supporting-the-high-street-and-increasing-the-delivery-of-new-homes

Joan Humble, Chair of Civic Voice, said “The future of high streets requires collaborative planning and long term vision with the historic enivronment at its heart. Investing in the high street requires long-term planning and whilst the government believes the plans would help revive high streets and increase housing delivery, we think it will do the opposite and we may end up with poor quality design housing without consideration for the wider built environment, something we know is key to succesful high streets".