Delivering Green,
Affordable Homes more Quickly - Government Response to Callcutt Review
COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (219) issued by The Government News Network
on 22 November 2007
Housing Minister
Yvette Cooper today welcomed the publication of the Callcutt
Review into delivering new housing and announced a major new drive
to speed up the delivery of new greener, affordable homes for
first time buyers and families, as an initial response.
The Government commissioned the independent Callcutt Review to
look at the capability of the housebuilding industry to deliver
the homes needed for future generations.
Yvette Cooper said the Review was a significant contribution to
the debate on new housing. The Prime Minister has announced plans
for 3 million new homes by 2020, backed by £8bn for affordable
housing. The Review has shown these targets are achievable.
Yvette Cooper gave the Government's initial response to five
key areas highlighted in the Review, saying the Government would:
* Introduce a new legal definition on what constitutes a
'substantial start' by a developer to avoid major sites
being held up by long delays. The Government will consult on
options for tougher planning rules on when a development has
officially commenced. Currently, developers only need to start a
development within three years for planning permission to be
valid, without having to complete it. However, a start can involve
merely digging a ditch or laying the foundations of a single
building. This can slow down the delivery of much needed homes.
* Introduce new 'fast track contracts' to help speed up
the development of new homes on public sector land. The Government
wants to see faster building targets for developers on suitable
disused public land when agreeing contracts. English
Partnerships is currently examining 900 disused public sector
sites for development. The Government would like to see this
approach rolled out across other disused sites held by other
public agencies, which could deliver 200,000 homes for social
rent, first time buyers, and key workers, by 2016.
* Give increased support to sustain the Government's drive
to make all new homes zero carbon by 2016, through a new body to
monitor and co-ordinate work on delivering the target. The UK
Green Building Council has been asked to lead on establishing the
work programme and priorities for the new group and will report
back to Ministers in four weeks. The new group will support the
work of the 2016 Task Force, which spearheads the zero carbon agenda.
* Closely examine proposals for an annual independent customer
satisfaction survey on new housing, working with the Office of
Fair Trading, and considering whether housebuilders' results
should be linked to future allocations of public funding or bids
for public sector land. Presently, a customer survey is carried
out by the House Builders Federation but Government wants to look
at whether we need to go further to support work on raising the
quality of new housing.
* Agree a 'new industry standard' to increase
transparency of developers' land holders held for future
housing. The Government will work with the housebuilding industry,
financial institutions, and the International Financial Reporting
Standards Board, on a new standard approach to reporting land
holdings to discourage any incentive to hide assets.
John Callcutt's report concludes that the housing building
industry is in shape to deliver the additional 240,000 homes a
year needed by 2016, and three million more homes by 2020. But
the challenge will be to deliver homes where they are needed, at
an affordable price, and meet zero carbon targets.
Yvette Cooper said:
"We urgently need to build more affordable, greener homes
for this and future generations. But we cannot afford to wait for
developers who may drag their feet once planning permission has
been granted, hoping to benefit from increases in land value.
"That's why we are looking at what changes could be
made to the planning system to make sure that developers really
are making a substantial start on their projects.
"We also want to stamp out any potential for hidden land
banking by making sure that land assets are completely transparent
in financial statements.
"But this isn't just about building more homes -
it's about building better, greener homes.
"As John rightly acknowledges, this is an extremely
challenging target but attainable - we are absolutely committed
and there will be no wavering. That's is why we are setting
up a new delivery body as the Review recommends to oversee
progress to our 2016 zero carbon target for all new homes."
The Government will respond formally to the Review in the New Year.
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