Insight: Labour lays out the groundwork for building – now councils must deliver

Angela Rayner has wasted no time in setting out her ambitious plans to get Britain building with a new National Planning Policy Framework that puts local authorities under significant pressure to meet mandatory home construction targets.

The Conservatives’ decision to effectively scrap housing targets has been reversed and councils must now produce detailed plans with proposals about how they will deliver the extra homes – or face government intervention.

Ms Rayner, the Housing Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, told MPs in the House of Commons: “Some will find this uncomfortable and others will try to poke holes.” 

However, despite the obvious challenges – including potential opposition to specific development plans from Labour back benchers – Ms Rayner appears determined to achieve the Government’s goal of building 1.5m homes over the next five years.

This significant change of approach to housing policy from the new Government offers opportunities for developers and landowners with sites suitable for new homes.  The new targets call for 370,000 homes a year to be built in England, that’s a big jump on the previous government’s target of 300,000 homes a year – which was being consistently missed.

With local authorities under orders to meet new targets for building, there will be benefits for those who can move fast to have their sites included in the local plans that councils will now be racing to draw up.  The reclassification of some green belt land as “grey belt” will also create opportunities for developers and landowners.

However, the principle that developers must consult with the public over planning proposals and that communities should have a say in the allocation of development sites remains firmly in place.

Ms Rayner’s proposals do not give landowners and developers a blank cheque to build where they like, even if under the new Labour Government there is a greater presumption towards planning approval. 

Many estate owners with land suitable for new homes will still want to proceed with proposals that are broadly acceptable in their communities and build new homes in a style that reflects and respects the heritage and traditions of the estate. 

That means partnering with the best designers, architects and developers and engaging with neighbours, people who already live on the estate and other stakeholders early in the process, ideally before detailed plans have been drawn up. 

Using the charette process –-a collaborative design approach alongside the community - is a proven way of achieving broad buy-in for a project.

The Housing Secretary has also stressed new infrastructure, including GP surgeries and road improvements, will go hand in hand with plans for new homes, helping to reduce opposition from residents who warn services are already over-stretched.

“Updates from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Planning Inspectorate, are coming in thick and fast – almost daily – at the moment,” said Andrew Howard, KOR Communications’ Public Affairs Senior Consultant.

“You cannot doubt that the Government has put providing new housing front and centre and will be judged on its success.

“Far too often in the past we have seen politicians, local and national, talk the talk when it comes to providing the new homes the country desperately needs. But in the face of local, and vocal, opposition, they didn’t walk the walk.

“Many, many councils declared a ‘Housing Emergency’ because of growing concern about waiting lists, and because homes were out of reach of most people on normal incomes.

“But in reality, many councillors quickly reverted to type, because they thought they would lose votes and seats.

“The people most vocal against new housing are the people comfortably settled in their own houses who think development will negatively impact their views, their schools, GP surgeries and roads – not forgetting the price of their house.

“They find it easy to organise and know what political buttons to press. Those without decent, safe, warm housing are less easy to organise, less likely to be registered to vote and less likely to know their councillor by name.

“The revised – draft – NPPF maintains the strongest possible advice for developers to engage with local communities as early as reasonably possible.

“It has always been the case that effective early engagement saves time and money further down the line,

“And if, as the government hopes, the starting point in the conversation moves from not whether homes should be built at all, but what they look like, who they serve and how they can enhance existing communities, so much the better.

“Perhaps people who aren’t signed up members of the anti-brigade will feel more comfortable coming forward and helping shape their new homes.”

The message to landowners with ambitions to build and developers keen to meet the demand for new housing is that there has never been a better time, in the past decade and a half, to make a move.

But working with communities, winning support and, where possible, taking on board local concerns will always be a better option than trying to railroad through proposals that few can agree with. 

Labour may have eased the restrictions on housebuilding, but the challenges remain.  As ever, they can best be overcome by seeking professional guidance and support for every project.

At KOR Communications we know that when it comes to property development it’s essential to have a clear communications plan in place; making the neighbours, influencers and decision-makers aware of your proposals before other people have the chance to derail your project. And if you do face resistance, you need to know how to regain control of your messages and have the confidence to respond to any criticism. Contact us to discuss your project.