thorncliffeys

Planning reform has become a byword for political timidity in the face of vested interests and a graveyard of economic ambition.

Our antiquated planning system leaves too many important projects getting tied up in years and years of red tape before shovels ever get into the ground.

We promised to put planning reform at the centre of our political argument – and we did.

We said we would grasp the nettle of planning reform – and we are doing so.

Today I can tell you that work is underway.

Over the weekend, I met with the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister to agree the urgent action needed to fix our planning system.

Today, alongside the Deputy Prime Minister, I am taking immediate action to deliver this [political content removed] government’s mission to kickstart economic growth;

And to take the urgent steps necessary to build the infrastructure that we need, including one and a half million homes over the next five years.

The system needs a new signal. This is that signal.

First, we will reform the National Planning Policy Framework, consulting on a new growth-focused approach to the planning system before the end of the month, including restoring mandatory housing targets.

And, as of today, we are ending the absurd ban on new onshore wind in England. We will also go further and consult on bringing onshore wind back into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime, meaning decisions on large developments will be taken nationally not locally.

Second, we will give priority to energy projects in the system to ensure they make swift progress…

… and we will build on the spatial plan for Energy by expanding this to other infrastructure sectors. 

Third, we will create a new taskforce to accelerate stalled housing sites in our country…

…beginning with Liverpool Central Docks, Worcester Parkway, Northstowe and Langley Sutton Coldfield, representing more than 14,000 homes.

Fourth, we will also support local authorities with 300 additional planning officers across the country.

Fifth, if we are to put growth at the centre of our planning system, that means changes not only to the system itself, but to the way that ministers use our powers for direct intervention.

The Deputy Prime Minister has said that when she intervenes in the economic planning system, the benefit of development will be a central consideration and that she will not hesitate to review an application where the potential gain for the regional and national economies warrant it.

… and I welcome her decision to recover two planning appeals already, for data centres in Buckinghamshire and in Hertfordshire.

To facilitate this new approach, the Deputy Prime Minister will also write to local mayors and the Office for Investment to ensure that any investment opportunity with important planning considerations that comes across their desks is brought to her attention and also to mine.

The Deputy Prime Minister will also write to Local Planning Authorities alongside the National Planning Policy Framework consultation, making clear what will now be expected of them…

…including universal coverage of local plans, and reviews of greenbelt boundaries. These will prioritise Brownfield and grey belt land for development to meet housing targets where needed.

And our golden rules will make sure the development this frees up will allow us to deliver thousands of the affordable homes too, including more for social rent.

Sixth, as well as unlocking new housing, we will also reform the planning system to deliver the infrastructure that our country needs.

Together, [political content removed] we will ask the Secretaries of State for Transport and Energy Security and Net Zero to prioritise decisions on infrastructure projects that have been sitting unresolved for far too long.

And finally, we will set out new policy intentions for critical infrastructure in the coming months, ahead of updating relevant National Policy Statements within the year.

I know that there will be opposition to this.

I’m not naïve to that;

And we must acknowledge that trade offs always exist: any development may have environmental consequences, place pressure on services, and rouse voices of local opposition.

But we will not succumb to a status quo which responds to the existence of trade-offs by always saying no, and relegates the national interest below other priorities.

[Political content removed].

We will make those tough decisions, to realise that mandate.

[Political content removed].

Be in no doubt – we are going to get Britain building again.

Nowhere is decisive reform needed more urgently than in the case of our planning system.

Planning reform has become a byword for political timidity in the face of vested interests and a graveyard of economic ambition.

Our antiquated planning system leaves too many important projects getting tied up in years and years of red tape before shovels ever get into the ground.

We promised to put planning reform at the centre of our political argument – and we did.

We said we would grasp the nettle of planning reform – and we are doing so.

Today I can tell you that work is underway.

Over the weekend, I met with the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister to agree the urgent action needed to fix our planning system.

Today, alongside the Deputy Prime Minister, I am taking immediate action to deliver this [political content removed] government’s mission to kickstart economic growth;

And to take the urgent steps necessary to build the infrastructure that we need, including one and a half million homes over the next five years.

The system needs a new signal. This is that signal.

First, we will reform the National Planning Policy Framework, consulting on a new growth-focused approach to the planning system before the end of the month, including restoring mandatory housing targets.

And, as of today, we are ending the absurd ban on new onshore wind in England. We will also go further and consult on bringing onshore wind back into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime, meaning decisions on large developments will be taken nationally not locally.

Second, we will give priority to energy projects in the system to ensure they make swift progress…

… and we will build on the spatial plan for Energy by expanding this to other infrastructure sectors. 

Third, we will create a new taskforce to accelerate stalled housing sites in our country…

…beginning with Liverpool Central Docks, Worcester Parkway, Northstowe and Langley Sutton Coldfield, representing more than 14,000 homes.

Fourth, we will also support local authorities with 300 additional planning officers across the country.

Fifth, if we are to put growth at the centre of our planning system, that means changes not only to the system itself, but to the way that ministers use our powers for direct intervention.

The Deputy Prime Minister has said that when she intervenes in the economic planning system, the benefit of development will be a central consideration and that she will not hesitate to review an application where the potential gain for the regional and national economies warrant it.

… and I welcome her decision to recover two planning appeals already, for data centres in Buckinghamshire and in Hertfordshire.

To facilitate this new approach, the Deputy Prime Minister will also write to local mayors and the Office for Investment to ensure that any investment opportunity with important planning considerations that comes across their desks is brought to her attention and also to mine.

The Deputy Prime Minister will also write to Local Planning Authorities alongside the National Planning Policy Framework consultation, making clear what will now be expected of them…

…including universal coverage of local plans, and reviews of greenbelt boundaries. These will prioritise Brownfield and grey belt land for development to meet housing targets where needed.

And our golden rules will make sure the development this frees up will allow us to deliver thousands of the affordable homes too, including more for social rent.

Sixth, as well as unlocking new housing, we will also reform the planning system to deliver the infrastructure that our country needs.

Together, [political content removed] we will ask the Secretaries of State for Transport and Energy Security and Net Zero to prioritise decisions on infrastructure projects that have been sitting unresolved for far too long.

And finally, we will set out new policy intentions for critical infrastructure in the coming months, ahead of updating relevant National Policy Statements within the year.

I know that there will be opposition to this.

I’m not naïve to that;

And we must acknowledge that trade offs always exist: any development may have environmental consequences, place pressure on services, and rouse voices of local opposition.

But we will not succumb to a status quo which responds to the existence of trade-offs by always saying no, and relegates the national interest below other priorities.

[Political content removed].

We will make those tough decisions, to realise that mandate.

[Political content removed].

Be in no doubt – we are going to get Britain building again.

British election campaigns can sometimes feel like supermarket price competitions, with the political parties trying to attract customers with eye-catching retail pledges that have no real downside. 

There is one aspect which is different. Ever since Sir Robert Peel in 1830s Tamworth, parties are expected to publish a single document summing up their offer. Fortunately they tend to take it seriously – the Labour Party more than others, for what was in the manifesto can be a trump card in winning any subsequent internal political dispute. 

Labour’s 2024 manifesto ‘Change’ is a 136 page document (the length being padded out by lots of unnecessary images of Keir Starmer), but the largest surprise in it is that there is no surprise in it. Needing to balance many interests and campaigns who are likely to kick up a fuss if they feel they are disregarded means the party can’t easily add pledges out of nowhere.  

Where developers fit in 

All Keir Starmer’s major speeches have referred to ‘mission-based government’, which links to his February 2023 speech announcing five ‘missions’ for any government he will lead. Housebuilding and planning comes under the economic growth mission: “Britain is hampered by a planning regime that means we struggle to build either the infrastructure of housing the country needs” (page 26). 

Starmer pledged at the last Labour conference to “get Britain building again” and the commitment to build 1.5m new homes in the next Parliament is prominent. To achieve that, the party will restore mandatory housing targets for councils, and require councils to have up-to-date local plans: there is a carrot of funding for more planning officers, and a stick of government intervention should councils fail to plan. More controls over planning policy will be devolved to Combined Authority Mayors, linked with housing investment. (One may cynically wonder if this will last, should the current crop of Labour Mayors find re-election difficult.) 

Green belt or grey belt? 

Starmer took a risk last year in broaching the idea of developing some less attractive parts of the Green Belt. The manifesto notes green belt land is routinely released for development and pledges a strategic approach, to “release to build more homes in the right places” with “ ‘golden rules’ to ensure development benefits communities and nature”. There is a balancing commitment to fast tracking approval of redeveloping urban brownfield sites. 

Affordable housing 

Labour is particularly keen to see social and affordable housing built, and the manifesto backs reforms to section 106 agreements – though without detail. Previous announcements have said the party wants to help local planning authorities negotiate, give more guidance on how viability must be assessed, and to restrict post-agreement challenges to their terms.  

The party also renews its commitment for a new generation of new towns. One minor surprise early in the campaign was the party’s idea of a New Towns Code to set design standards, for which the group ‘Create Streets’ produced some attractive images showing high density housing did not need to be ugly; this isn’t mentioned in the manifesto. 

A plan for change 

Manifestos are not the place for policy details; many of the downloads of the manifesto from the Labour Party website will be by civil servants making an early start on planning the legislation a new government will be introducing in coming months and years. But they are meant to be clear enough that the policy can’t be confused, and unlike the social media memes seen during campaigning, they are meant to last.  

Labour can read the polls, just like everyone else. It wouldn’t have put things in the manifesto if it expected to backtrack on them. The party expects its 2024 offer to be the basis of government policy in a few weeks.  

You can read the Labour manifesto here. 

Thorncliffe 
June 2024 

While all attention is on the general election, three London Boroughs are very likely to get new leaders shortly after it – because the current leader is standing for a safe Labour seat.

The effect of the general election will be even greater. All told, over 40 London Labour councillors are Parliamentary candidates, and while many are standing in seats currently held comfortably by other parties, attempts to estimate the result of the election have shown that many of them may fall.

Camden is one of the most affected boroughs. Georgia Gould, leader since 2017 and a well known figure as daughter of ‘new Labour’ guru Philip Gould and publisher Gail Rebuck, was chosen at the last minute for the new seat of Queen’s Park and Maida Vale (replacing Karen Buck who is retiring, and reportedly scuppering the ambitions of Westminster’s Labour leader Adam Hug).

Her cabinet member for new homes, Danny Beales, will be having a second tilt at trying to win Uxbridge and South Ruislip – hoping the ULEZ issue will have gone away since the byelection last year. Camden may also lose the Chief Whip Lloyd Hatton (a planning committee member), who is standing in South Dorset – no. 214 on Labour’s target list, but still potentially winnable.

Potential new leaders in Camden have already begun shadow campaigns. Adam Harrison, cabinet member for a sustainable Camden, and finance chief Richard Olszewski, are reportedly interested.

Redbridge council leader Jas Athwal would have been selected for Ilford South at the last election but for a complaint against him which seemed suspicious to his supporters; when the selection rolled round, he defeated the Corbynite Sam Tarry and now looks likely to move to a Parliamentary career. Kam Rai, deputy leader, must be one of the favourites to succeed him as council leader. Two Redbridge backbenchers, Bayo Alaba and Sunny Brar, are also standing for Parliament.

Until this week it was looking like Barking and Dagenham’s leader Darren Rodwell would be moving to be MP for Barking, but bullying accusations led to an investigation and he has stepped down as a candidate. His replacement is Enfield’s leader Nesil Caliskan, a major figure in Labour local government (she represents councillors on Labour’s ruling NEC). A successor from her support base is likely, possibly Ergin Erbil. Enfield’s Cabinet member for Finance Tim Leaver is standing in North West Norfolk which looks beyond Labour’s reach.

Brent’s cabinet member for regeneration, planning and growth, Shama Tatler, was also picked at the last minute in Chingford and Woodford Green – a top Labour target. Newham’s Deputy Mayor and cabinet member for environment and sustainable transport, James Asser, has already left his posts to stand in ultra-safe West Ham and Beckton.

Ealing’s leader Peter Mason was mentioned as a possible replacement for Darren Rodwell but did not get the nod; however deputy Leader Deirdre Costigan is likely to be the new MP for Southall. Backbencher Callum Anderson has a good chance of winning Buckingham and Bletchley, but Ealing councillors Claire Tighe and Yoel Gordon are unlikely to win their seats in Surrey.

Ben Coleman, deputy leader of Hammersmith and Fulham, is standing for the Chelsea and Fulham seat. Tim Roca, who stood down as deputy leader of Westminster, is a candidate for Macclesfield which is a Labour target seat; standing in the next door seat of Tatton is Westminster’s cabinet member for climate action, Ryan Jude, although winning that seat may be more difficult. A backbench Westminster councillor, Jessica Toale, is candidate in winnable Bournemouth West.

Two Merton councillors standing in winnable seats have resigned their council seats already, including former cabinet member for local environment Natasha Irons who is trying to win Croydon East. Merton’s deputy leader Eleanor Stringer has wisely not given up her seat while standing to be MP for Wimbledon – a seat where the Liberal Democrats are tipped to win.

A few London councillors are standing for the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, but none are from prominent leadership positions. Paul Kohler, the Liberal Democrat candidate in Wimbledon, is a Merton councillor but not group leader. Bobby Dean (Carshalton and Wallington) and Luke Taylor (Sutton and Cheam) both sit on Sutton council but are not in leadership positions.

If any of these potential movements may put the success of your scheme in doubt, please get in touch – I’m sure we can help.

Or the bits relevant to planning, anyway

Femy Amin (Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment)

“streamlined planning processes, ensuring that infrastructure planning aligns with the need for affordable housing delivery, prioritising investment in areas where it will have the greatest impact on increasing housing supply.”

Count Binface (Count Binface for Mayor of London)

No planning mention

Rob Blackie (Liberal Democrat)

“Pressuring the government for ambitious homebuilding targets – and to provide funding and support to deliver significantly more homes than in the current London plan. We will reopen the London Plan and work to ensure that London boroughs have local plans which are compatible with it. We will look to simplify the conditions of the London Plan to make it easier to accelerate home building.”

Natalie Campbell (Independent)

Build more build-to-rents.

Reclassify green belt sites that are not green, and put them back in the planning process.

Howard Cox (Reform UK – London Deserves Better)

No planning mention

Amy Gallagher (Social Democratic Party)

“The SDP will use the power of the Mayor’s Office, master planning powers, and The London Plan to prioritise the building of housing to help solve the housing crisis that the political class, left and right, have collectively failed to address over the past 30 years. Our plan will transform London’s failing, neglected, and underfunded infrastructure into that of a smart, green, resilient, tech-focused, democratically audited 24-hour city ready for the 21st century.”

Intensification – We need to intensify land use in the outer London boroughs where the population density is one-third that of central London, especially close to Tube stations and transport nodes. This can be done artfully by putting the public realm at the heart of every new scheme – some of the nicest and densest places in London would not get planning permission today but people love them!

Renew the London Plan – Many senior planners at the GLA will tell you that the current London Plan is just a wish list – it is not strategic and it needs to be re-written with increased housing provision as one of its central objectives

City Planning – Building Better, Building Beautiful”

Zoe Garbett (The Green Party)

“Supporting the introduction of protective measures for individual key species in the new London Plan to mitigate extinction rates.”

“We will oppose plans to build new incinerators in London and refuse permission for new combined heat and power installations.”

“We will ensure all new planning designs require ecologically- sustainable stormwater and flooding prevention elements.”

“A Green Mayor will use the next London Plan to ensure we work to the highest climate and environmental standards. We will:

• Write new planning rules for London to make it easier to apply to work on insulation and retrofit projects for whole streets at once.
• Introduce planning policies to ensure all new developments assess climate and ecology impacts and include green spaces with habitats for threatened species and pollinators, to achieve net biodiversity gains.
• Designate areas as ‘park opportunity sites’ in the London Plan, similar to the current opportunity sites for housing, economic development, and add ‘park’ to this list for areas which need green space for people, biodiversity and sustainable drainage to prevent flooding.
• Develop a London Energy Plan, which accelerates our clean, renewable energy supply and work with local councils to develop Local Area Energy Plans.
• Support large scale solar deployment as part of multi- functional land use and remove the red-tape to installing solar on older buildings or buildings in conservation areas.
• Refuse permission for new combined heat and power installations, solid fuel burning, diesel farms or fracking, and create plans to close existing units by 2030 as we shift to sustainable energy supplies.
• Ensure newbuilds are built to Passivhaus standards.
• Change planning rules to account for embodied carbon in the cost of construction.
• Support the introduction of protective measures for individual key species in the new London Plan to mitigate extinction rates.
• Map toxic landfill sites and implement bioremediation strategies for cleaning up
  soil and waterways in nearby areas, as well as implementing flooding prevention.”

“The London Plan is produced every few years by the Mayor’s Office and is a key guiding document for shaping our city. A Green Mayor’s London plan will include:

• An increase of the 35 per cent ‘affordable’ housing threshold (to 50 per cent) as well as a more up-to-date definition of ‘affordable’ which reflects genuine affordability.
• Many boroughs currently start to require ‘affordable’ housing only for developments of 10 or more homes, which can incentivise artificially low numbers of homes on suitable sites. In a Green London Plan there will be no lower limit to contributions expected from developers to truly affordable housing.
• Much higher levels of truly affordable rented homes will be included in new planning policies for the Build to Rent sector.
• 10 per cent of all units to be fully wheelchair accessible and prescribe the majority
  of these units to be built in the social rented sector. We will also develop a London Accessible Housing Register.
• We will amend the London Plan to better control short-term lettings in London, with strict limits – including prohibition in areas of high housing need – built into lease conditions for new buildings and give more support to councils in enforcing time limits and quality of life
  for surrounding residents.
• The new London Plan will require developers to apply lease conditions to the homes they build which make sure these are the primary residence of the new owners.
• Protect local amenities like play parks. If amenities are demolished and there is delay we need a policy from the Mayor to get these vital spaces reinstated as a priority.”

“A Green Mayor of London will take a new approach to the Economic Development Strategy and the next London Plan, guided by the values and principles in this chapter as well as:

• Introducing new standards in planning and development to help councils deliver projects that make the best use of available space, ensuring that every new house has space to grow food, e.g., on balconies and rooftops, and in vertical and urban gardens; allowing residents access to equipment; and engaging local shops and restaurants in the supply of locally-grown food.
• Bringing evidence to bear on reinstating effective new policies, which were removed by the Government, to create exclusion zones around schools where fast food shops aren’t allowed, and allow councils to resist a saturation of fast food shops in any part of their borough.
• Defining areas of ‘emerging heritage’ that have local distinctiveness and a London-wide significance and protecting them in planning policies. This will give similar protections to conservation areas.
• Establishing a stronger, clearer agent of change principle in the London Plan.”

“We will review all existing ballot exemptions in estate developments and amend the London Plan to extend requirements to include a final say from residents as part of the decision-making process for planning policies.”

Tarun Ghulati (Independent)

No planning mention.

Susan Hall (The Conservative Party Candidate)

“I will prioritise building more family homes you can afford. These will be mostly high-density, lowrise homes, designed for families to set down roots. High-rise developments will be limited to appropriate areas that do not disrupt existing communities.

I will increase the supply of homes for rent and ownership.

The best way to tackle rising rents is to increase housing supply. As Mayor, I will work with pension funds and others to increase institutional investment in Build to Rent schemes, delivering purpose-built rented homes. For those who may currently be renting but wish to buy their own home, I will also work to increase the supply of homes for ownership, including shared ownership schemes. There are now almost 90,000 empty homes in London, a 51% increase since 2016. Homes should not be sitting empty when London has a housing crisis, so I will work with boroughs, housing associations and others to bring empty homes back into use.

The Green Belt will be fully protected.

The Green Belt around London prevents urban sprawl and acts as London’s green lungs. Sadiq Khan’s allies are threatening to develop on the Green Belt, which would be a travesty. I am listening to Londoners, and I have heard the clear opposition to building on the Green Belt. I will protect this vital landscape.

I will make it easier to build good quality homes in the right places that meet local needs, whilst protecting communities from inappropriate schemes.

I have listened to concerns about excessive red tape in the London Plan, that holds back much-needed new homes on brownfield land, and I will overhaul it. I will review planning policies that restrict housing development on surplus industrial land, especially in areas close to train stations and transport hubs. I will also allow more flexibility to provide car parking spaces in new developments, especially in areas where public transport is less available, and ensure that proper infrastructure is provided alongside new developments.

I will encourage councils to undertake estate regeneration.

They will be encouraged to renovate homes with inadequate conditions, working alongside local residents. Too many Londoners are living in homes with damp, mould, and condensation, which is completely unacceptable. Rather than ignoring the problem as Sadiq Khan has, I will listen to Londoners and work with councils to improve conditions. Rebuilding estates at modest densities could also deliver thousands of good quality new homes. I will also ensure that land owned by the GLA Group is properly audited to identify surplus land for development.

I will accelerate planning applications and clear the backlog by lending City Hall planning officers to local councils.

The volume of applications is overwhelming local councils, causing developers to question whether it is worth submitting them due to the wait times and the cost implications. I will not allow this issue to be ignored any longer. We must get London building the homes we desperately need, which is why I will provide this additional support to councils to get these backlogs cleared.”

Sadiq Khan (Labour Party)

“To unblock more new homes, I will take decisive action where needed to create new Land Assembly Zones and set up more Mayoral Development Corporations to boost overall housing supply and drive regeneration. These will deliver new sustainable communities with homes for first-time buyers as well as homes for social rent. I’ll work with a Labour government to strengthen planning so that the London Plan can go even further in supporting the delivery of the affordable housing our city needs, while unlocking economic growth and being the greenest ever plan for our city.”

“London is home to more than 600 high streets. We learned during the pandemic how intimately connected we are to local high streets, and their importance to our communities. That’s why I want to do more to protect, restore and improve them. If I’m re-elected, I will launch a support fund and set out a new vision for the future of London’s high streets, building on the work we have already done. I’ll also explore planning changes that can help breathe new life into our high streets, helping to ensure they remain a central feature of our economic and civic life.”

Andreas Michli (Independent)

“Publish an updated London Housing Strategy that prioritises:

• Encouraging high density residential development. Build upwards, not outwards
• Consulting with the boroughs to set ambitious housing targets for each local authority
• Taking a more nuanced approach to the Green Belt, whereby land containing derelict structures are identified for potential development
• Ensuring aesthetic standards, in-keeping with London’s historic building style, are adhered to by developers. Refer developments that do not conform to the Secretary of State for review”

Brian Rose (London Real Party – Transform London)

“The shortage of housing in London is a symptom of an outdated planning system and of a Mayor who has utterly failed to get a grip of the housing problem.”

“While delivering quality, affordable housing quickly is the priority, my plan will unlock potential housing projects for years to come. Some sites will be easier to develop than others, and the country’s outdated planning regulations may well slow some projects. But I am looking at this challenge with a 30-year horizon, which is somewhat unusual in mayoral politics, where the focus is so often exclusively on short-term benefits that may attract votes at the next election.”

Nick Scanlon (Britain First – No To Immigration)

No planning mention

Thank you to all those who sent kind words following the death of our colleague Steve Curran MBE earlier this week. We are passing those messages to his family. Steve continued his enthusiasm for development displayed during his eight years as leader of Hounslow Council in his time with us, and we miss him greatly.   

He was in the office just a month ago, and indeed was helping with a client (which subsequently achieved planning approval) only a couple of weeks ago. He maintained his brightness and love of life right up until the end.

We first met Steve when he was campaigning for Brentford Football Club. He loved sport – particularly rugby, but he was also a great enthusiast for regeneration.

When he became leader of Hounslow in 2014, he took on the regeneration portfolio and treated it very seriously. We did a scheme at that time for Ballymore – and he was very keen on the Brentford town centre scheme.  Steve set us a challenge – match the number of letters of support to the 600 letters of objection.  Obviously we did that, and Steve was very proud to slam them down on the committee desk in front of his colleagues to show this scheme had the necessary support.

When he stepped down from the leadership of Hounslow, as a result of his cancer, we were very sad.  But coming to join us for a year was a big plus, and we were delighted he chose us.

He’s been a great asset to the company and a great friend.  He will be greatly missed. 

If you have any stories about Steve, please do write them in the comments.