Councils urge Government to work with them to deliver decent homes

Responding to the Goverment's consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the Local Government Association (LGA) has said that councils have a key part to play to improve housebuilding outcomes, but must be given the tools and resources needed to do so.

The LGA has highlighted the essential need to deliver more homes for social rent and homes which are genuinely affordable.

The Association says it supports the Government’s commitment to empower local authorities to deliver more homes, particularly for social rent and other affordable rents and its response sets out a range of pragmatic ideas about how to do so in the spirit of partnership between local and national government.

The response highlights that planning permission is not a barrier to housebuilding, with local authorities approving almost nine in 10 planning applications despite significant resourcing and capacity issues.

At the same time, concerns are raised about making housebuilding targets mandatory, particularly if not backed by the delivery of necessary infrastructure.

The LGA also warns that some of the proposals in the Government’s consultation, including a new methodology to determine mandatory housebuilding targets, could lead to unintended consequences such as speculative unplanned development, without the necessary infrastructure to meet the needs of communities.

Cllr Adam Hug, Housing spokesperson for the LGA said: “Our message to Government is simple: work with us and give us the tools to build the homes our country needs. There is a strong appetite across local government to work constructively to improve coverage of local plans and encourage housebuilding, including the vital need to deliver more homes for social rent and homes which are genuinely affordable.

“However, councils and local communities know their local areas best, and need to be full partners in tackling the housing crisis together, with new development supported by the infrastructure needed to make communities thrive and proper consultation and engagement that can help ensure local people are able to benefit.

“Councils need the right powers, skills, resources and funding to act and want to work with government and the development and housebuilding industry.”