MHCLG issues policy paper and call to evidence on first day of Labour party conference
The government has published a working paper asking for views on its plan to introduce a system of “brownfield passports” to speed up development on urban sites.
This morning, the first day of the Labour party’s annual conference in Liverpool, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government published a working paper on the policy.
Housing secretary Angela Rayner will address the Labour party conference today (Sunday)
It sets out proposals for “a form of brownfield passport”, which would set out in greater detail what kind of development should be regarded as acceptable and establish the default answer to suitable proposals as “yes”.
“The proposals relate to the principle, the scale, and the form of development, and to the potential wider use of Local Development Orders to grant area-wide permissions,” according to the working paper.
The department hopes such a policy would reduce “the risk, cost and uncertainty associated with securing planning permissions” for developers.
Referencing the plans in an interview with the Observer today, Keir Starmer said the new system would be a “game-changer” and explained how they had been greeted with enthusiasm by housing developments.
“They’re very pleased to see these plans. They want to get on with it. We are absolutely determined to deliver,” he told the newspaper.
>> Also read: Will Labour’s ‘grey belt’ plans boost housebuilding or turn out to be an ill-defined gimmick?
The department has said it will launch a call for evidence on the proposals, before drawing up specific plans on which to consult.
It comes on the back of Labour’s proposed revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework, which is already out for consultation.
The working paper said: “The government wants to consider whether there are opportunities to go further still in terms of providing faster and more certain routes to permission for urban brownfield land, and in particular whether we could introduce a ‘brownfield passport’ to ensure that the default answer to brownfield development is “yes”
Stakeholders have until Monday to share their views on the changes.
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