Laura Sharman 24 January 2020

New guidelines are failing to boost number of homes, research finds

Measures designed to boost housebuilding by councils have actually had the opposite effect, according to planning consultants’ Lichfields.

The Government issued new guidelines in 2018 to outline how councils should determine individual housebuilding targets. However, the research found the guidelines – known as the Standard Method – have limited housebuilding and economic growth.

It found seven local councils across the North have reduced housebuilding numbers by between 3% and 25% as a result.

Across nine northern councils, housebuilding requirements have been reduced by 2,410 homes since the Standard Method was first proposed.

Hannah Bickerdike, spatial analyst & research consultant at Lichfields, said: ‘When the Standard Method was originally announced, Lichfields alongside many other planning and housing professionals, raised concerns that the new approach would result in significantly lower housing requirements due to its reliance on affordability as the sole reason to apply an uplift.

‘Whilst the option exists to apply an uplift to align with economic aspirations, as this is only an option it means Local Planning Authorities are under no obligation to do so and we are now seeing that many are taking the opportunity to reduce housebuilding or only increase it by a minimal amount.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Makaton Tutor - Part Time / Term Time

Essex County Council
£25821.00 - £30377.00 per annum + + Pension
Makaton Tutor - Part Time / Term TimePermanent, Part Time£30,377 per annum, full time equivalent / equal to £15.74 per hour.Location
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Assistant Urban Design Intern

Essex County Council
Up to £25081.00 per annum + + 26 Days Leave & Local Gov Pension
Assistant Urban Design InternFixed Term, Full Time£25,081 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Wellbeing and Independence Practitioner - Safeguarding Team

Essex County Council
£31931.00 - £36423.00 per annum + + 26 Days Leave & Local Gov Pension
Wellbeing and Independence Practitioner - ASC Centralised Safeguarding TeamFixed Term, Full Time£31,931 to £36,423 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Financial Strategy Manager (Revenue)

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council
Negotiable
Bring clarity to complex decisions and help shape how we invest in our borough's future.Bring clarity to complex decisions and help shape how we inves England, London
Recuriter: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council

Team Manager - Locality

Wakefield Council
£55,979.00, Grade 13
Wakefield Children’s Services have been rated by Ofsted as GOOD with outstanding leadership. Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Recuriter: Wakefield Council
Linkedin Banner