The government has introduced new rules to fast-track the delivery of thousands of homes around England’s train, tram and underground stations.
Under the government’s new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), there will be a default ‘yes’ for homes within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations, alongside new minimum expectations for how much housing should be built in these areas.
Angela Rayner, secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, said: “A safe, secure home is the foundation of opportunity, but too many people are being priced out of the communities where they want to live and work. By unlocking thousands of homes around well-connected transport hubs, we’re helping people live closer to work, school and the services they rely on, while backing local businesses and driving growth in our communities. That’s how we’ll tackle the housing crisis and raise living standards for people in every corner of the country.”
John Healey, chancellor of the exchequer, added: “Making it easier for people to buy their own home is about more than a house. It is about security and families feeling they have a place they can truly call their own. We want to drive growth in every postcode and help more working people into home ownership. A secure home is the heart of all our lives, helping people put down roots, plan for the future and build a good life for themselves and their families. This is about creating opportunity, prosperity and stronger communities across the country.”
Heidi Alexander, transport secretary, said: “Earlier this year, we published Better Connected: A Strategy for Integrated Transport. The steps announced today act on a key commitment we made as part of that strategy, to support densification of development around well-connected stations to create vibrant, sustainable and well-connected homes and places. The changes being announced today turn long-held ambitions into reality for our communities. Densification, combined with high quality walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport, will support healthier lifestyles, improve access to jobs and services, and protect important public transport services.”
Industry response:
Angus Irvine, partner at Rapleys, said: “The government’s move to introduce a ‘default yes’ for housing around well-connected railway stations and other transport nodes is sensible in principle, but it should not be presented as an entirely new solution to the housing crisis. It is also a policy not ‘consent’ – applications must still be determined against the wider development plan and all other relevant planning considerations. It is undoubtedly a positive step.
“It strengthens an established planning principle and could help unlock some very good and genuinely sustainable development opportunities around stations and other transport nodes. But government must not confuse what is consentable with what is deliverable. If it genuinely wants a step change in housing numbers, the immediate focus needs to be on viability, affordability, infrastructure delivery and the cumulative burden of regulation as much as it is on securing planning permission in the first place.”
Nicholle Kingsley, partner, real estate, at Mishcon de Reya, added: “The focus on development around well-connected stations and greater density is largely as expected, but it is a welcome addition and should be fully supported. The real test, however, will be whether these reforms are accompanied by action to tackle the practical barriers holding up delivery.
“What is surprising is how little is currently being said about the potential role of AI in speeding up planning decisions. The government is simultaneously looking to streamline consultation and enable more decisions to be taken under delegated authority. There is an obvious opportunity to explore how AI could support planning officers with those decisions – for example, by interrogating national, regional and local planning policy and consultation responses – while retaining appropriate professional oversight. If the ambition is genuinely to make the system more efficient and predictable, technology surely has to form part of that conversation.”
Paul Wakefield, legal planning partner at Shakespeare Martineau, said: “The newest iteration of the NPPF is far firmer and more prescriptive in an effort to make sure that national planning policy is actually being delivered at a local authority level. This has the benefit of reducing any ambiguity in planning policies, shortening the time taken for decisions to be made, minimising the number of delays and making for a smoother overall process. This revised policy has made it clear the government is serious about tackling the housing crisis and driving forward development.
“However, the political winds are changing. While there has always been a tension between national and local political agendas, newly-formed councils, especially those that are no longer majority Labour, will be looking to make their mark on their local authority and may challenge development decisions as a result. Planning decisions can also be incredibly controversial with the public, and some councillors may not want to risk upsetting the apple cart in the early days of their tenure. The government’s ambitious planning policy revisions may ultimately be derailed before they deliver.”
Barry Jessup, managing director of Socius, added: “The government is right to focus on well-connected urban locations, but extending presumed development consents to greenbelt sites is a cop-out. These changes also fail to address the fundamental issues of housing delivery which are over-regulation and over-taxation. There are loads of urban brownfield sites ripe for development but whose viability has been decimated by government policy. We need interventions that help make brownfield development viable – not encourage building on already shrinking green belt.”
Stephen Teagle, chief executive for partnerships at Vistry Group, said: “We welcome today’s announcement, which by prioritising developments near stations will enable more homes to be built in well-connected places where people want to live. Planning applications take far too long to process and the government’s plans to streamline requirements, with clear national policies, will reduce the burden on local authorities and address many of the bottlenecks that hold up housing delivery. We look forward to continuing to work with the government and local partners to build more affordable homes where they are needed most.”
Danny Pinder, policy director at Real Estate:UK, added: “Only once the full details of the government’s changes to the NPPF are published will it be possible to understand their likely impact on development. From the detail provided so far, the government is right to focus on well-connected areas which can support higher-density housing. These reforms are well-intentioned but planning policy alone won’t get homes built. Build-to-rent is one of the fastest and most effective ways to deliver high-quality homes at scale in well-connected urban areas, yet construction starts are down significantly year-on-year as viability remains challenging.
“Government can support delivery of build-to-rent through some relatively simple changes such as reinstating Multiple Dwellings Stamp Duty Relief, continuing to improve the speed and certainty of Building Safety Regulator approvals, and looking at the phasing of developer contributions so they don’t make otherwise deliverable schemes unviable. These simple interventions would then unleash the full potential of these planning changes.”
