Thousands of new homes will be built on unused and previously developed land in the UK under radical new plans to make it easier to use brownfield sites.

Councils will play a critical role in bringing forward brownfield land and will be asked to put in place local development orders which can provide sites with outline planning permission to speed up the building of new homes.

This could provide up to 200,000 permissions for new homes by 2020, according to the government. In addition, 20 new housing zones on brownfield land in London will benefit from £400 million funding from the government and the Greater London Authority. There will be £200 million of additional government funding available for 10 zones outside of London.

‘We have beautiful landscapes, and they too are part of the inheritance of the next generation. To preserve them, we must make other compromises. If we want to limit development on important green spaces, we have to remove all the obstacles that remain to development on brown field sites,’ said Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne.

He announced radical steps to put local development orders on over 90% of brownfield sites that are suitable for housing. ‘This urban planning revolution will mean that in effect development on these sites will be pre-approved. Local authorities will be able to specify the type of housing and it will mean planning permission for up to 200,000 new homes while at the same time protecting our green spaces,’ he explained.

‘I suspect there will be people who object to new building, even on the brownfields of our cities. But let me be clear, I will not stand by and allow this generation, many of whom have been fortunate enough to own their own home, to say to the next generation: we’re pulling up the property ladder behind us. So we will build the houses Britain needs so that more families can have the economic security that comes with home ownership,’ he added.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said the plans will make the very best use of derelict land and former industrial sites to provide new homes. ‘By ensuring commitments to housing development are in place early and having dedicated housing zones, building becomes, quicker and easier for home builders, businesses and councils,’ he added.

Ministers will look to councils to consult on and make local development orders which are a flexible way to grant planning permission on brownfield land that is suitable for housing in their area. These can set out the amount and type of housing that can be built on sites and assist developers working up suitable schemes to get work started on site quicker. And a new £5 million fund will be launched before the summer to support the first wave of new local development orders.
The government will invite bids for funding for housing zones outside of London later this year and officials stressed that key safeguards will remain in place. As with any planning…