Deregulation Won’t Solve The Housing Crisis– RIBA Criticises Jenrick’s Planning Reforms

Image Courtesy of RIBA

The RIBA has responded to the Government’s White Paper – ‘Planning for the Future’ – outlining reforms to the country’s planning system.

06 August 2020

The RIBA has responded to the Government’s White Paper – ‘Planning for the Future’ – outlining reforms to the country’s planning system.

RIBA President, Alan Jones, said:

“While there’s no doubt the planning system needs reform, these shameful proposals do almost nothing to guarantee the delivery of affordable, well-designed and sustainable homes. While they might help to ‘get Britain building’ – paired with the extension of Permitted Development – there’s every chance they could also lead to the creation of the next generation of slum housing. The housing crisis isn’t just about numbers, and deregulation won’t solve it.

If the government is serious about addressing the dominant position of large housebuilders and the lack of quality social housing, the Secretary of State needs to make changes to the tax system, look at why land approved for development lies untouched for years, and give local authorities power and resource to promote and safeguard quality.

The commitment to make all new homes carbon neutral by 2050 also needs be brought forward radically – we simply cannot go on building homes that damage the environment and leave people at risk of fuel poverty for another thirty years.

These reforms might seem radical, but they won’t even scratch the surface when it comes to building the homes we need.”