More Land Is The First Step

A pro-growth, pro-development planning system is vital to tackle our housing crisis

Today’s announcement of the release of surplus public sector land for housing is a very welcome first step towards increasing desperately needed housing supply.

Over the last decade the HBF has been calling for such an initiative from Government to increase land supply and set an example to organisations across the country.

A lack of viable land with planning permission has long been one of the major constraints on housing supply. Releasing surplus public sector land is the first step towards tackling a housing shortage HBF estimates to be a million homes and getting worse every year.

Building the homes we need would provide for beleaguered first time buyers and the millions of families on local authority housing waiting lists. It would also create tens of thousands of jobs, giving the country a huge economic boost.

However, the initiative is only a start, and for real success we need to see the planning system deliver permissions for homes on this land – and on enough land generally to meet the needs of our population. Last year, just over 100,000 new homes were built in England – the lowest since 1923 - against a requirement of at least 232,000.

The need to develop an effective planning system is demonstrated in HBFs latest Housing Pipeline Report. Planning permissions granted in the first quarter of 2011 again showed a year-on-year fall, with permissions now at around half the level of five years ago.

Speaking today, Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman of the HBF, said;

“Releasing surplus public land for much needed homes is something HBF has long been pushing hard for, and so today’s announcement is a welcome step.

“Alongside the lack of mortgage availability, a lack of viable, developable land with planning permission has been the most significant long term constraint on housing supply.

“It is vital to recognise though that the success of this very positive initiative and building more housing generally, also depends on the creation of a truly pro-growth planning system. Increasing housing supply will tackle our housing crisis and create thousands of jobs, providing huge social and economic benefits across the country.”