Sixteen campaign organisations from a range of backgrounds sent an open letter to Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government James Brokenshire MP.
The letter calls for reform to the way we buy and sell land and the sharing of the uplift that agricultural land experiences once planning permission is granted.
This uplift is typically 100 times the original value, a growth that could be better captured to provide benefits to the local community.
The letter puts forward the case for distributing this uplift more fairly, which would help limit opposition to new development and contribute to much better infrastructure. And this development gain could be invested to create better places, landscaping, green spaces, affordable housing and public services, such as surgeries and schools.
The letter puts forward the following arguments for the way in which the Government should radically reform planning gain to capture it for the community.
“First, they should monitor the implementation of their welcome changes to Section 106 to ensure that councils deliver and developers do not continue to wriggle out of their commitments.
“Next, they could give local government a stronger role in buying and assembling land for housing, allowing them to plan new developments more effectively, share the benefits for the community and approve developments in places local people accept.
“Most importantly, they should reform the 1961 Land Compensation Act to clarify that local authorities should be able to compulsorily purchase land at fair market value that does not include prospective planning permission, rather than speculative “hope” value.”
The group, which includes groups as diverse as Shelter and the CPRE, states that our new housing is typically just not good enough, and lacks sufficient infrastructure and public services to adequately support it.
It maintains that models from abroad make a better job of creating attractive new places to live. The key to this is ensuring that development profits the community as a whole rather than just landowners.
The letter calls for this reform as it maintains that changing this underlying principle of our land supply market holds the key to alleviating Britain’s housing supply market.
Organised by Conservative think-tank Onward, the campaign is looking for additional people to sign up to the open letter, and demonstrate support for reform.
Add your voice and sign the Open Letter.
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