The Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill has not had a smooth ride. The Government has been rocked by a backbench rebellion led by lead hater of home building, Theresa Villiers MP. Whilst the Bill is a disappointment, a small sites amendment tabled by Andrew Lewer MP can offer some light to those of us keen to bring the housing sector back to life.
The amendment is targeted at SME developers who play a vital role in the market but are limited by a disproportionate and complex planning system. The ‘one size fits all’ nature of planning puts SMEs at an inherent disadvantage, limiting the diversity of the market and choice of first-time buyers, not to mention the potential of these housebuilders to transform communities for the better, particularly around bringing infill land into better use.
The amendment set out below offers a fast-track planning in principle route for qualifying small sites if you offer at least 60% of the homes as affordable housing defined by the NPPF. This means the mix and the tenure is for the developer to choose and will favour intermediate housing which doesn’t require a separate core.
A land analysis to support the amendment found that potential small brownfield sites across ten of England’s major towns and cities can deliver at least 110,000 extra new homes. This would reflect almost 70% of the Government’s overall target to deliver 160,000 homes on all brownfield sites. Yet the analysis has also shown that less than 1/4 of small brownfield sites suitable for housing are coming forward and half of councils allocated fewer than 15% of their small brownfield sites. Perhaps they see it has too tricky.
To put that into raw housing potential, the relevant local planning authorities have only identified sites capable of delivering 25,000 new homes (an 80% shortfall on the 110,000 highlighted in the research). This comes at a time when debate rages in the House of Commons over the need for national housing targets.
Whilst some work is already underway to recognise the potential reservoir of small brownfield sites, such as Mayor Andy Street’s Brownfield Land Study 2022, it is clear to Pocket Living and industry partners that many local authorities are yet to recognise the potential of small sites. Twenty four organisations within the housing industry are now supporting a small-sites planning policy that would help bring these sites forward. This includes the likes of Barratt Homes, Optivo, Network Homes, The National Housing Federation and a number of SME’s and industry leaders.
The amendment is below, if you want to help – get in touch.
New Small Sites clause to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill: Requirements to encourage the development of small sites
- In respect of a development where the conditions in subsection (a) and subsection (b) are satisfied Local Authorities should support opportunities to bring forward sites and apply a presumption in favour of development where the site:
- is below 0.25 hectares in area, and
- contains over 60% affordable housing, as defined in Annex 2 of the NPPF”
Member’s Explanatory Statement: This clause would provide for a presumption in favour of development for affordable-led small-sites and encourage councils to bring forward small sites for development.
