MPs Urge Government Not To Abandon Urban Renaissance

12 July 2006

MPs of all parties are demanding changes to Government proposals for new planning policies aimed at boosting housebuilding.

More than 100 MPs have signed Early Day Motion 1770 [1] calling on the Government to amend its draft planning policy [2] on housing. A recent Parliamentary Select Committee report has also urged changes. [3]
******************
Has your MP signed Early Day Motion 1770?
To see who has signed so far visit the EDM website: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?DMID=30226&SESSION=875
******************
The MPs fear this new policy would severely undermine the drive to use previously developed, ‘brownfield’ sites for new homes in preference to undeveloped ‘greenfield’ sites. In recent years there has been a substantial shift towards reusing previously developed land and buildings in our towns and cities instead of building outside them on the countryside.

CPRE [4] believes the proposed policy, as it stands, is a recipe for dispersed, car-dependent development. It would encourage greenfield sprawl, harm prospects for urban regeneration and do little to provide the genuinely affordable homes that are needed.

David Drew MP [5], the leading Labour backbencher who tabled the Early Day Motion, said:

‘I very much welcome the response colleagues have demonstrated towards this important EDM. It is vital that we keep up the pressure to ensure that development takes place on appropriate sites, brownfield first wherever possible.’[6]

Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Andrew Stunell [7] commented:

‘We are asking the Government to make sure the final version of this policy gives priority to recycling derelict urban land and bringing empty buildings back into use. There are over 100,000 empty homes in the North West of England.

‘Our homes use more energy than our cars, and so the sustainability of new development and its implications for communities, neighbourhoods and landscapes must be part of the equation.’

The Conservative Chair of the Environmental Audit Select Committee, Tim Yeo MP [8] commented:

‘Only by strengthening the priority given to developing brownfield sites in preference to greenfield ones can we save our countryside from irreversible damage. It would be a tragedy if, now we have started to make progress in building more homes on recycled land, the Government weakened planning policy.’

CPRE Planning Officer Kate Gordon said:

‘With parts of our towns and cities crying out for redevelopment and regeneration it makes no sense to waste these opportunities in a drive to push up housing supply. The Government’s new policy would deprive councils of vital powers to prevent developers from cherry-picking easy greenfield sites and ignoring less profitable brownfield sites.’

‘Urban renaissance and the environment need to be at the heart of planning policy, not at its periphery or left out altogether. If the Government is serious about creating conditions in which sustainable communities can thrive it needs to do better than this.’

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. Early Day Motion 1770 Brownfield first approach for new housing was tabled in the House of Commons on 8 March by David Drew MP. To date, 102 MPs have signed the EDM, including 49 Labour, 29 Conservative and 18 Liberal Democrat MPs. Respect, DUP, Plaid Cymru and Independent MPs have also signed. The full text reads:
‘That this House welcomes the progress made on recycling brownfield land and increasing the supply of housing with house building reaching its highest level for 16 years and 72 per cent. of homes now built on brownfield sites; notes the positive role played by planning policy in housing provision, especially the sequential brownfield first approach in PPG3; and, in the light of this achievement, is concerned and perplexed by the emphasis the Government's draft planning policy on housing places on meeting market demand where it arises, rather than where capacity for development exists; notes the lack of a clear sequential approach which ensures urban brownfield development takes priority over greenfield development; and further notes the lack of measures and resources to secure more affordable housing and encourage urban regeneration; and calls on the Government to retain a strong emphasis on the sequential brownfield first approach when it publishes its new planning policy on housing later this year.’
2. Consultation closed on draft Planning Policy Statement 3 - Housing (PPS3) on 27 February. The final version is expected later this year - an announcement is expected before the summer Parliamentary recess on 25 July. A copy of CPRE's response (280K PDF) to the consultation can be obtained from the press office or downloaded from CPRE’s website: www.cpre.org.uk.
3. Affordability and the Supply of Housing – report by the Committee on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (since renamed), published on 20 June 2006. In their report, the MPs conclude that ‘a simple supply and demand model cannot be applied to the housing market’, and express concern about ‘the relaxation in planning controls proposed in the new draft PPS3, which could result in urban sprawl and undermine regeneration efforts in established urban centres’. They recommend that ‘local authority powers to prioritise developments on brownfield sites in urban areas should not be eroded’ (Report summary).
4. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England by encouraging the sustainable use of land and other natural resources in town and country. 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.
5. David Drew is MP for Stroud, Gloucestershire. He co-chairs the All Party Parliamentary group on Future Housing and Planning.
6. Brownfield land is land that is already developed, or has been developed sometime in the past. Much of this will be derelict or underused.
7. Andrew Stunell is MP for Hazel Grove, Greater Manchester.
8. Tim Yeo is MP for South Suffolk. He also co-chairs the All Party Parliamentary group on Future Housing and Planning.

---

Press releases, papers and documents published on this page are the intellectual property of an organisation unrelated to Central Lobby. We promote their parliamentary and political campaigning activities as they are subscribers to the Central Lobby service.

As such, Central Lobby does not edit, endorse, or attempt to balance the opinions expressed on this page. The content of press releases and other such types of content are the responsibility of the originating organisation.