Councillor, forget about Nora the Newt, people need housing!
I don’t know about you but I think Angela Rayner is bringing a very refreshing dollop of common sense to planning. She and her department has been very busy with the new NPPF and the Planning Bill and generally reinforcing the message (along with Keir Starmer) that we MUST GET BUILDING!
And yes, I know it’s going to be a challenge to get the construction workers and every NIMBY in the country is doing their best impression of Maria Callas singing the Mad Scene from Lucia di Lammermoor about how they are far too special to take more homes etc. etc. *yawn* people need homes and we have a responsibility to deliver them. No ifs, no buts. WE MUST GET BUILDING!
So it is with interest that I report on Angela’s views on one of the rallying cries of the NIMBY… the Newt.
Last Sunday Angela said (and I quote): “We can’t have a situation where a newt is more protected than people who desperately need housing…What we need is a process which says protect the nature and wildlife but not at the expense of us building the houses we need. We can do both… I believe we can offset, look after them, but at the same time not stop building.”
Asked about developments being blocked due to impact on wildlife (you know, things like Nora the Newt), Angela said: “Environmental factors will be taken into account, but we can’t have a situation where we have a desperate housing crisis and we can’t resolve things like nutrient neutrality, which we believe we can. We can’t have a situation where we can’t build those houses. There’s mitigations you can make. I cannot accept the situation as it stands currently.”
The government’s changes includes mandatory housing targets intended to meet Labour’s pledge to build 1.5m homes during this parliament and ministers would remove some of the “subjective reasons” for planning being refused and that “there will be clarity to ensure that we don’t see buildings stalled for years and years”.
Angie also said “I want to fix the supply so those homes are available, and then house prices won’t be going further and further away from people’s needs…It’s about supply and making sure that those houses are there and available so that people can afford them and are able to get them. If we don’t fix supply, then house prices will continue to go up as demand goes up.”
Angie also had a message for Councillors… “What we’ve seen, because we haven’t had these compulsory plans locally, is speculative development where green belt land has been developed on because we haven’t had the local plan that delivers for local people… We’ve told councils they’ve got to have those plans. If developers follow the framework, the national framework which protects environments … they shouldn’t be stuck in the system for years.”
So the message is very clear, homes for humans is a priority and Councillors must facilitate that through Local Plans that comply with housing targets.
Until next week,
Henry