According to the government, only 33% of councils have an updated housing plan less than five years old. Credit: Aditya Vaidya via Unsplash.

The UK government has announced an overhaul of the country’s planning system, setting new housing targets for councils to bolster economic growth.  

The initiative is designed to facilitate the delivery of an additional 1.5 million homes over the next five years.  

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This move is, in turn, expected to help more individuals achieve homeownership. 

Under the new rules, councils are mandated to increase house building in areas most in need. This marks a reversal from last year’s decision to make housing targets merely advisory.  

Currently, only 33% of councils across the country have an updated plan less than five years old.  

The government said it intends to intervene when necessary to ensure progress, allowing local input on development strategies but not on the decision to build homes. 

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The methodology for calculating housing targets will also be revised, incorporating more recent data to ensure homes are built in suitable locations and that development aligns with the size of existing communities.  

Brownfield land will be the primary focus for development, with the government’s reforms stating that the default response to such development should be affirmative.  

The aim is to encourage higher-density housing in urban areas. 

Councils will also need to consider green belt land to meet their targets, identifying ‘grey belt’ land as defined by the government.  

This includes land on the outskirts of settlements or adjacent to roads, as well as disused petrol stations and car parks.  

The updated guidelines also emphasise the importance of situating new homes near existing transport infrastructure. 

If local authorities fail to maintain current plans or meet housing targets, homebuilders will have the opportunity to propose developments on grey belt land.  

However, land protected for environmental reasons will remain safeguarded.  

Any green belt land released for development will be subject to the government’s ‘golden rules’. 

This stipulates that 50% of homes at the site must be affordable and accompanied by improved access to green spaces and essential infrastructure. 

UK Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “Our decisive reforms to the planning system correct the errors of the past and set us on our way to tackling the housing crisis, delivering 1.5 million homes for those who really need them.     

“And something I am personally proud of, our new flexibilities for councils will boost the number of social and affordable homes, and give working families a better route to a secure home.”