CAMERON URGED: DON’T RUBBISH PLANNING

27 March 2006

‘We will only get the housing we need in the places we need it with a robust and well-funded planning system that enjoys strong political support. David Cameron needs to recognise the critical environmental role of planning if he is to prove his green credentials.’

This is the reaction of CPRE [1] to Conservative leader David Cameron [2] portraying the planning system as an obstacle to meeting the nation’s housing needs rather than part of the solution. Neil Sinden, CPRE’s Policy Director, said:

‘The planning system has been hugely successful in delivering new housing in recent years: annual output is at its highest for 15 years and a growing proportion – almost three quarters in 2004 – is being provided on previously developed, brownfield land rather than green fields.’

‘Meeting the needs of those priced out of the housing market should be a priority for any Government, but to suggest the planning system is part of this problem is wide of the mark.

‘The evidence shows that adequate land for housing is being made available through the planning system and simply building more homes will do nothing to reduce house prices [3]. What is needed is greater planning control over the type of housing built, so that more of it is affordable rented and shared equity housing.’

Neil Sinden concluded:

‘More and better planning, not less is needed to meet the nation’s housing needs while protecting and enhancing the environment.’

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Sir Max Hastings. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen.

2. In an article in the Independent on Sunday newspaper yesterday, 26 March, Mr Cameron wrote: ‘This situation is bananas. I say it’s bananas because one of the problems we’ve faced is a system that encourages people to believe we should Built Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone. Our planning system doesn’t give people a proper say in how their communities should grow organically.’ And in a news release today he said: ‘We would also tackle the disparity between the demand for new houses and the supply, and review the whole planning system to ensure that local people are more directly involved in shaping the future of their communities.’

3. In the South East, for example, there has been an increase in the formally identified land supply for housing in recent years to enough sites to accommodate over 200,000 homes in 2003. Between 1998 and 2004 the landbanks of major housebuilders with planning permission has increased by more than a third from 240,000 to 331,000 plots. The Barker Review of housing supply found that even doubling the supply of market housing would only reduce the rate of house price inflation to the European average.

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