{"id":37693,"date":"2018-01-15T11:53:23","date_gmt":"2018-01-15T11:53:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=37693"},"modified":"2018-01-15T11:53:23","modified_gmt":"2018-01-15T11:53:23","slug":"land-banking-review-to-accelerate-housebuilding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/planning-construction-news\/land-banking-review-to-accelerate-housebuilding\/37693\/","title":{"rendered":"Land banking review to accelerate housebuilding"},"content":{"rendered":"

Head of the land banking review Sir Oliver Letwin has committed to seeking \u201cpractical, non-partisan recommendations\u201d to accelerate housebuilding<\/h2>\n

The head of the land banking review says the government is \u201cserious\u201d about tackling a slowdown in housing delivery \u2013 despite caution from the construction sector as to what the inquiry is expected to achieve.<\/p>\n

Announced at the Autumn Budget<\/a>, the review is to examine the apparent discrepancy between the number of housing planning permissions being granted against those built in areas of high demand \u2013 a discrepancy that runs into the hundreds of thousands.<\/p>\n

Currently, after planning permission<\/a> is granted a variety of factors can prevent development from starting and slow down delivery and the review aims to determine why.<\/p>\n

As of July 2016, just over half the 684,000 homes with planning permission had been completed.<\/p>\n

The land banking review will seek to identify the main causes of the gap and will make recommendations on practical steps to increase the speed of build-out.<\/p>\n

Latest evidence has highlighted that residential planning applications are up, whilst the time it takes to process major applications continues to be at a record high.<\/p>\n

Letwin said: \u00a0\u201cThis government is serious about finding ways to increase the speed of build-out as well as tackling the complicated issues surrounding it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why we have set up this diverse panel to help me test my analysis and to make practical, non-partisan recommendations, as we look to increase housing supply that\u2019s consistent with a stable UK housing market.\u201d<\/p>\n

The land banking review will proceed in two phases:<\/h3>\n

Phase 1<\/strong> \u2013 currently underway \u2013 will seek to identify the main causes of the gap by reviewing large housing sites where planning permission has already been granted.<\/p>\n

This will include information-gathering sessions with local authorities, developers, non-government organisations and others. Early findings will be published in the interim report.<\/p>\n

Phase 2<\/strong> will make recommendations on practical steps to increase the speed of build-out, which will be published in the full report.<\/p>\n

The review will also consider how to avoid interventions which might discourage housebuilding or hinder the regeneration of complex sites.<\/p>\n

Throughout this, Letwin will be assisted by:<\/p>\n