Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely has won his campaign to see mandatory housing targets scrapped.
Mr Seely, who has been campaigning for a change in planning rules since his election in 2017, has consistently opposed plans for greenfield development on the Island arguing that brownfield sites should be prioritised over greenfield and that government-set housing targets should be advisory, not mandatory. He had also argued that targets were not evenly distributed across the country, that existing planning laws gave more power to developers than local councils and that councils needed to be given more powers for compulsory purchase.
Stepping up his campaign to change existing planning laws through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, Mr Seely teamed up with former environment minister Theresa Villiers to work up some amendments to the Bill to ensure the planning system was more community-led. Together their ideas gained the backing of around 100 Conservative MPs putting pressure on the government to act.
Yesterday (5 December) a press release was issued by Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, setting out new measures - to be introduced through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill - to place local communities at the heart of the planning system including strengthening the government’s commitment to build enough of the right homes in the right places with the right infrastructure, making housing targets a ‘starting point’ with new flexibilities to reflect local circumstances, introducing new penalties for slow developers failing to build already-approved homes and bringing in new powers for local authorities to promote brownfield development. The government has also committed to launching a consultation on whether planning permission should be required for new short-term lets, especially in tourist hotspots, introduce a registration scheme for holiday lets and ensure valued landscapes - such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - remain protected through robust national and local planning policies.
Mr Seely said: “I am delighted that the government has agreed to amend planning laws to put communities first. The changes we will see will mean the Isle of Wight Council will be able to take more action to compulsory purchase long-term vacant or derelict buildings, housing targets will be advisory instead of mandatory, brownfield land will be prioritised over greenfield, developers who sit on land with planning permission will potentially face financial penalties for doing so and the government will enable councils to crack down on cowboy developers. Many of these new ideas will be in policy documents by the end of this month.
“For too long developers have had too much power and control over the system. Local communities are best placed to know where new housing should be built, and how many new homes are needed. The top-down approach has not been working on the Island which is why it has been so hard to agree a new Island Plan. Now, our council will be able to work together with Island communities to give permissions that will ensure the right homes are built in the right places. This is another win for the Island.
“When I became MP for the Isle of Wight I promised to put the Island first and make sure Islanders had a voice in Westminster. That is happening and we are being listened to. I look forward to working with the government to take these changes forward.”
Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove said: “We have an urgent need in this country to build more homes so that everyone - whether they aspire to home ownership or not - can have a high-quality, affordable place to live. But our planning system is not working as it should.
“If we are to deliver the new homes this country needs, new development must have the support of local communities. That requires people to know it will be beautiful, accompanied by the right infrastructure, approved democratically, that it will enhance the environment and create proper neighbourhoods.
“These principles have always been key to our reforms and we are now going further by strengthening our commitment to build the right homes in the right places and put local people at the heart of decision-making.
“I’m grateful to colleagues across the House for their hard work and support to drive forward these much-needed changes to create a planning system that works for all.”
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill will continue its passage through Parliament shortly.
