Michael Gove is set to intervene in London to push for more developments on brownfield sites in the capital, as part of a wider move to pile pressure on local councils to build new homes.
The Levelling Up Secretary wants every council in England to prioritise housebuilding on brownfield sites under new plans, with extra pressure set to be brought to bear on larger city councils that fail to meet housing targets.
The move is part of a broader effort by the Conservatives to boost housebuilding, with younger voters in particular expressing concern about the difficulty of getting on the property ladder.
But it has sparked a clash with Sadiq Khan as well as London Councils, which have issued a strong rebuke to the plans.
Cllr Darren Rodwell, London Councils’ Executive Member for Regeneration, Housing & Planning, said:
“Boroughs are strongly pro-housing growth and doing everything they can to turbocharge building the new homes Londoners desperately need. These developments are almost always on brownfield sites.
“Although the planning system certainly needs to support building as much as possible, the system itself is not the core problem. London has a pipeline of 289,000 potential new homes that have received planning permission but have not yet been built due to other reasons.
“There are several key factors holding back housebuilding in London, including insufficient capital funding and infrastructure investment, as well as construction skills shortages.
“Any changes to London’s planning system must include a strong role for boroughs. This is essential for ensuring new housing is high quality and adequately supported by local services such as transport and GP surgeries. It is also vital for maintaining local democratic oversight and accountability in the planning process.
“Boroughs are concerned that the proposed further liberalisation of permitted development rights would undermine this. Too often PDR has produced poor-quality accommodation, with no affordable housing, and loss of employment sites and negative impacts on London’s high streets.
“We remain as committed as ever to working in partnership with all levels of government on increasing housebuilding in the capital. Addressing London’s longstanding housing crisis is crucial for the city’s future success.”
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