Politics

News, in-depth reporting and discussion of politics and policy development affecting town planning, including political lobbying and party policies.

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Lee Rowley, the new housing and planning minister. Image: DLUHC

Rowley confirmed as minister responsible for planning

The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has confirmed that new housing minister Lee Rowley is responsible for planning, including “overall reform” of the system.

New homes under construction (Pic: Getty)

Government should be building 500k plus homes a year to account for higher immigration, says think tank

The government’s 300,000 homes a year target for England in 2022 should have been revised up to in excess of half a million to account for higher levels of net migration, according to a report by a free market think tank, which claims we have fallen “woefully short” of delivering enough homes.

newspapers

‘Quarter of Labour MPs have opposed new affordable homes in their areas’

A report claiming that a quarter of Labour MPs have opposed the building of affordable homes in their constituencies despite the party’s promise to boost housebuilding leads our round-up of news in other media.

Latest Politics In Depth

Michael Gove cut out in front of calendars and a building in the background (credit Getty Images)

When we can expect the levelling up act’s measures to come into effect

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act has just gained Royal Assent. While a few of its planning provisions will come into effect within the next few months, most of them will require much further work before implementation.

Lee Rowley

The planning track record of new housing minister Lee Rowley

During his previous tenure in the role, Rowley was supportive of former prime minister Liz Truss’s plans to scrap what she described as centrally-set housebuilding ‘targets’. He has also been outspoken in opposing green belt development within his own constituency, and previously called for a “regional approach” to planning.

Pic: Emma Austin/Getty Images

The fallout from Gove’s letter to council chiefs urging them to get on with plan-making

A letter sent by the housing secretary to council chiefs and leaders urging them to carry on plan-making has prompted a degree of confusion among practitioners. Some say the document may be cited as a material consideration in planning decisions and could lead to the loss of affordable housing if misinterpreted.

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Politics Comment

Catriona Riddell

How I’d change planning if I was Prime Minister, by Catriona Riddell

The next government must speed up local plan-making, draw up a national plan and reintroduce formal sub-regional plans, says our columnist

Cliff Hague

Backing build-to-rent distracts from the real priority of more social housing, by Cliff Hague

Increasing the supply of build-to-rent properties at discounted market rates would not solve the problem of a shortage of affordable housing, says our columnist.

Angus Walker

The government promise of further infrastructure planning revolution that you may have missed, by Angus Walker

New government plans for broader changes to the infrastructure planning system, including possible alterations to thresholds for accessing the application route for nationally significant projects, were overshadowed by the party conference furore over HS2 cuts, says our columnist.

Graeme Bell

Planning is being abandoned by a government desperate to cling to power, by Graeme Bell

Opposition to measures intended to slow climate change is no reason to ditch vital policies, says our columnist