You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Ministers eye 200 stalled schemes as New Homes Accelerator launched
The government is stepping up its homebuilding efforts with the launch of a new expert group today, which it hopes will unlock thousands of homes blocked in the planning system.
The New Homes Accelerator will involve 15 civil servants from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and Homes England working cross-government and with councils to speed up the delivery of delayed schemes.
Early government estimates have suggested there are 200 large sites in England that could deliver “up to 300,000 new homes”, according to MHCLG.
Inside Housing understands that experts are currently being recruited for the new group, which is expected to be fully staffed by the end of next month.
Planning experts are also expected to be deployed to “work through blockages” at sites and look at “barriers to affordable housing delivery”, MHCLG said.
READ MORE
As part of the launch, house builders, councils and landowners are being urged to come forward with blocked sites that have significant planning issues.
The moves are part of an overall aim by the new government to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.
Angela Rayner, the housing secretary and deputy prime minister, said the government had a “moral obligation” to build homes people “desperately need”.
She added: “Our New Homes Accelerator will quickly identify blockages, fix problems and support local authorities and developers to get shovels in the ground.”
Government plans to tackle stalled schemes were first unveiled by chancellor Rachel Reeves in a speech last month. Ms Reeves named four sites, in Liverpool, Worcester, Northstowe and Sutton Coldfield, where work was already underway to unlock around 14,000 new homes.
Today, MHCLG said work will also start to tackle stalled sites at Stretton Hall in Leicestershire, Tendring in Essex, and Biggleswade Garden Community in Central Bedfordshire. Around 10,000 new homes could be completed across the sites, according to MHCLG.
Claire Holland, housing spokesperson at the Local Government Association, said the new accelerator is a “positive step”.
She said: “We are pleased with the government’s intention to work in genuine partnership with councils and other key development partners to remove barriers to development whilst protecting the environment.”
Stephen Teagle, chief executive of partnerships and regeneration house builder Vistry, said large-scale housing development involved “overcoming a host of overlapping obstacles, from planning and infrastructure through to funding challenges”.
He added: “Unblocking these pathways will lead to the development of thousands more high-quality sustainable homes while helping to drive economic growth.
“We look forward to contributing to the accelerator to ensure it is viable and able to deliver results.”
The announcement comes a month after the new government unveiled details of its proposals to overhaul the planning system, which includes restoring housebuilding targets for councils.
Sign up for our development and finance newsletter
Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters
