With the Government’s target of building 1.5 million homes by 2029 looming, councils are enacting a number of policy shifts to accelerate housing delivery and increase the efficiency of planning processes.

From local plan improvements to infrastructure enhancements, local authorities across the UK are working to resolve housing issues and boost stock throughout their communities.

Here are 10 examples of how councils are responding to new housing and planning policy:

1. Accelerating local housing development plans

In February, the Government instructed councils to speed up the delivery of their local plans, reducing timelines for their completion from roughly seven years to two-and-a-half.

Following the changes, councils will be expected to carry out regular assessments of their local plans to ensure progress towards housing targets is being made. They will also be required to incorporate digital tools to support communication about land availability for possible developments, as well as providing more regular updates about their plans.

2. Build on brownfield sites

Local authorities are focusing on the regeneration of brownfield sites to help deliver housing. Government guidelines on effective land use in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) encourage councils to prioritise brownfield land for development, supporting the preservation of green spaces and wildlife.

Funding is available to councils through initiatives such as the Brownfield Land Release Fund, created by the Government to promote building on ‘disused brownfield sites’. Among the local authorities to have benefitted from the financial aid are Crawley Borough Bouncil (£3.85m funding), Gravesham Borough Council (£1.6m funding), and Essex County Council (£1.4m funding).

3. Streamlining planning processes

To ensure compliance with new regulations, councils must adopt a more streamlined approach to planning processes. Innovations such as the AI tool ‘Extract’, launched by the Prime Minister in June, will be accessible to councils from Spring next year, enhancing planning productivity and creating time savings.

The technology has been adopted in trials by Hillingdon, Nuneaton & Bedworth, and Exeter councils, assisting the local authorities in processing roughly 100 planning records each day. According to the Government, the 1–2-hour manual task of digitising records was reduced to three minutes following the introduction of the tool.

4. Mixed-use developments

Councils are embracing developments that combine housing with commercial space or recreational facilities, which the NPPF encourages to support the creation of ‘healthy, inclusive and safe places’ and nurture community cohesion.

One of the local authorities adopting mixed-use developments is Lewisham Council. Its Build to Rent project, to be delivered alongside Real Estate Investment Trust Grainger plc, proposes to include a mixture of residential and affordable homes, as well as retail and commercial space, community areas, a GP surgery and a pharmacy. The development will also provide disabled car parking and cycle parking.

5. Introducing affordable housing targets

Strategies to help deliver sufficient affordable housing are key in responding to new Government policies. Some councils have implemented affordable housing targets to help meet local needs and ensure quotas are achieved.

Merton Council has committed to implementing affordable housing provision in its local plan, which states that the council should aim for 50% of new developments built between 2021/22 -2037/38 to be affordable.

6. Adopting sustainable building practices

Local authorities are encouraged by the Government’s policy framework to adopt sustainable development practices to meet economic, environmental and social objectives. The three targets are designed to promote economic growth and nature recovery, as well as the creation of ‘strong, vibrant and healthy communities’.

To adapt to the regulations, Medway Council has included measures such as a strategic flood risk assessment and a green belt review in its local plan, implemented with the ‘aim to conserve and strengthen the natural environment’.

7. Increasing community involvement in planning

Government policies require councils to ensure plans are accessible to residents to allow for participation and feedback. Tools such as public consultation and workshops can also help councils increase resident engagement to better inform decision-making.

For example, North Somerset Council launched a new six-week consultation on its refreshed local plan, inviting members of the community to share their views on its proposals for homes, jobs, and essential infrastructure delivery across the next 15 years.

8. Refreshing affordable rent and shared ownership models

In the policy paper titled ‘Delivering a decade of renewal for social and affordable housing’, the Government encourages local authority leaders to ‘examine what role they can play in reinvigorating council housebuilding’, such as participating in its new Social and Affordable Homes Programme. The programme aims to deliver 60% of homes for social rent, as well as offering affordable rent and shared ownership initiatives to help councils to address housing need.

Barnet London Borough Council’s provides a shared ownership scheme that caters to single people, families and couples, as well as offering specialist support for older people and people with disabilities.

9. Improving infrastructure and transport planning

The NPPF outlines that councils must deliver infrastructure and transport to accompany housing developments, ensuring construction is sustainable, safe and designed to support accessibility needs. The document also highlights the importance of improving connectivity in rural areas through enhanced cycling routes, walking paths and public transport methods.

A council with an infrastructure delivery plan in place is London Borough of Waltham Forest. The document is guided by an ‘evidence-led approach to ensuring that infrastructure is delivered at the right time, in the right places, and in a coordinated manner’.

10. Addressing homelessness and the temporary housing crisis

To fulfil the social objectives of the sustainable development requirements in the Government’s framework, councils must support those experiencing homelessness and meet the temporary housing needs of communities, ensuring the health and wellbeing of local people are prioritised. This could include incorporating ‘Housing First’ models or rapid rehousing initiatives to provide targeted care to people experiencing homelessness or those at risk of becoming homeless.

Kirklees Council has delivered a range of projects to help prevent and improve its responses to homelessness, such as tenancy rescue schemes and spend to save calculators that assist in providing early interventions.

This article was produced with the help of ChatGPT.