Angela Rayner is set to announce the return of top-down housing targets as part of sweeping changes to England’s planning system.
The Deputy Prime Minister is expected to address MPs this afternoon to reveal a major overhaul of rules as Labour bids to build 1.5million new homes.
The new Government has blasted the existing planning system as a ‘major brake’ on economic growth and pledged reforms.
Changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) – a 78-page document setting out planning policies for England – are expected to include a revival of mandatory housing targets for councils.
These were junked by the Tories in 2022, shortly after Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister, after dozens of Conservative MPs threatened a rebellion.
Labour has also pledged to take a ‘more strategic approach’ to the designation of green belt land and are set to rebrand some as ‘grey belt’, which they deem to be ‘lower quality’, to encourage building.
These are likely to be areas that are old car parks or wastelands, as well as some green spaces with ‘little intrinsic beauty or character’.
Angela Rayner is set to announce the return of top-down housing targets as part of sweeping changes to England’s planning system
The Deputy Prime Minister is expected to address MPs this afternoon to reveal a major overhaul of rules as Labour bids to build 1.5million new homes
Changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) are expected to include a revival of mandatory housing targets for councils
Labour has also vowed to take 'tough action' to ensure councils have up-to-date Local Plans.
They said they would strengthen the presumption in favour of sustainable development, and would 'not be afraid to make full use of intervention powers' to overrule local authorities in their bid to boost housebuilding.
It has been reported that new legal measures will force councils to quickly identify enough land to meet their predicted future housing needs.
Once that land has been identified, there will then be a presumption in favour of development, with local residents able to agree the style of new housing but not object to it being built.
Local councils that fail to produce timely plans could see ministers step in and impose house building blueprints on them.
The Telegraph reported Labour will drop the requirement for new homes to be 'beautiful', introduced by the Conservatives, which critics have argued is too vague.
Labour's manifesto used different language, outlining instead its aim for 'exemplary' development to be 'the norm not the exception.'
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed his Government sides with 'builders not blockers' on planning policy, saying it will consult on 'how, not if' projects should take place.
The Tories have criticised Labour plans to find what it calls 'grey belt' land to build on as 'shameless spin'.
Chris Philp, the shadow leader of the House of Commons, said earlier this month: 'They are talking about huge chunks of the green belt, not the odd car park.
'You can't just suddenly claim that a whole load of green belt is now called the grey belt and it's okay to build on it.
'I mean, that's just obviously a piece of nonsensical and shameless spin.'
