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Automatic permission for new homes will only make housing affordable if you believe that housebuilders are willing to flood the market with enough supply to bring prices radically down, instead of employing very clever people to avoid that exact outcome https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/planning-overhaul-to-offer-automatic-permission-for-new-homes-in-growth-areas-67375
This isn't necessarily a broadside at housebuilders, it's just how their business model works. They sell things at a profit, that's what they're for. You need social housing providers if you want social housing.
A couple more thoughts on Jenrick's plan:
A couple more thoughts on Jenrick's plan:
1. How are we going to determine the 'growth' areas where you get automatic planning permission? Because I can guarantee you this will not be a vote winner in Tory heartlands. Will be interesting to see how bold they're willing to be with it as we get closer to the next election
2. Jenrick says: "We are cutting red tape, but not standards." The problem is it's pretty hard to do one without the other. Will new design codes be enforced? And how? Building control comes in towards the end of the process - bit late to turn rabbit hutch flats into 'Belgravia'
I guess the automatic permission could be conditional on hitting the standards, but this appears to require decisions about how much housing and where. Which would appear to require builders needing someone to review their plans and give them permission. Which, well, you know...
3. What about affordable housing? Last year 48.9% of the country's entire affordable housing supply (and 57.8% social rent) were imposed through the planning process (section 106). Will there be some way of doing this under the new system? How?
... if not this is an absolutely massive cut to affordable housing supply (bigger than Osborne's austerity measures). Would basically be Jenrick doing what he did for Richard Desmond to the entire industry.
4. There should be some sort of rule against making major policy announcements via a Sunday newspaper column during parliamentary recess. I guess it's the sort of thing you would do if you wanted very tight control of the message.
For a more detailed view on the potential issues with the zonal planning system we are apparently heading towards, I'd suggest this blog from the TCPA https://www.tcpa.org.uk/blog/blog-in-the-zone
