Ministers commit to ease small brownfield developments

Proposals to make it easier to develop small brownfield sites have taken a step forward after ministers threw their weight behind the plans. The government has committed to a National Planning Policy Framework review, following lobbying from an alliance of more than 30 developers and other industry bodies, including Barratt Developments and led by Pocket Living. The government has said it will look at proposals to support the development of smaller sites for new housing after Andrew Lewer, a Conservative backbench MP, put forward an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill to encourage greater use of small sites, which could deliver an extra 110,000 new homes on brownfield land. The amendment has now been pulled after ministers said they would look at the proposals. The alliance, which also includes Optivo, Network Homes and the National Housing Federation, said the policy had the potential to deliver at least 110,000 extra new homes, which would reflect almost 70% of the government’s target to deliver 160,000 homes on brownfield sites The Department for Levelling Up said ministers would “consult on changing national policy to encourage greater use of small sites, especially those measures that will increase affordable housing”. Marc Vlessing, chief executive at Pocket Living, said: “We are pleased that the government has committed to reviewing national policy to encourage greater use of small sites for development, following our campaign and analysis around the potential for such sites to deliver thousands of new homes. “If the government wishes to unlock homeownership for the next generation, then it must look towards innovative policy solutions to do so. The small sites policy proposal would not only achieve this, but would also help rejuvenate the SME sector and contribute to the government’s brownfield-first policy.” To send feedback, e-mail piers.wehner@eg.co.uk or tweet @PiersWehner or @EGPropertyNews