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South Wales Guardian
28-05-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Rayner: Government not compromising green protections to build homes faster
The Deputy Prime Minister said that proposals to give a boost to smaller developers, which will ease the requirements for them to pay to boost nature habitats, were 'pragmatism' and that the Government will be able to 'protect nature at the same time'. The Government has set out proposals to cut red tape and for planning decisions to be shifted away from councillors and towards expert officers as part of efforts to meet Labour's pledge to build 1.5 million homes by 2029-30. Trained planning officers rather than committees of elected councillors will be responsible for deciding on developments of up to nine homes under the plans, as well as most minor and technical applications. The Government is considering 'streamlining' requirements on biodiversity net gain including the option of a full exemption for those minor developments. Sites with 10 to 49 homes would fall in a new category for medium-sized developments with fewer costs, simplified biodiversity net gain rules and an exemption from the building safety levy. The Wildlife and Countryside Link coalition of conservation groups urged the Government not to 'turn back the clock to the days of damaging development' with changes to the biodiversity net gain system. Housing Secretary Ms Rayner rejected that she was compromising green protections to get homes built, telling broadcasters: 'No, we're simplifying the process for houses if there's under 10 houses built, and between 10 and 49. 'So we're going to simplify that process. We're going to put more expert planners on that process as well, but we won't be compromising on nature,' she said during a visit to new housing development visit near Didcot, Oxfordshire. She said small sites are 'very different' to building large developments of hundreds or thousands of homes. 'So this is pragmatism, but we'll be able to protect nature at the same time.' Ms Rayner told the PA news agency she could not confirm how much greenbelt land would be used but said the Government has been clear on the rules about releasing it. 'It's greybelt, as we've designated (it), which is old disused car parks like garages, so it won't be bulldozing over the greenbelt just to reassure people on that.' Labour has reclassified some low-quality areas of greenbelt land which it calls the 'grey' belt. Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 'Exempting small sites would mean almost three-quarters of developments face no requirement to compensate for nature loss – let alone enhance it. 'These changes could leave the Biodiversity Net Gain system dead in the water and, with it, the Government's main guarantee of nature-positive planning. 'Biodiversity Net Gain is there to ensure that local communities aren't robbed of the green spaces that make places better to live in, and that developers can't take from nature without giving something back. 'This should be the rule, not the exception. Government shouldn't turn back the clock to the days of damaging development, but ensure a level playing field for all developers to contribute to growth and nature restoration.' The Rivers Trust said plans to remove the requirements perpetuate a 'false narrative that protecting nature is delaying housebuilding'. Chief executive Mark Lloyd warned that proposals to water it down 'risk poorer outcomes for people and nature, hampering growth by undermining confidence across sectors'. The organisation said the plans also run counter to recent recommendations from the Office for Environmental Protection urging the Government to reaffirm its commitment to biodiversity net gain. The Government is also seeking to support smaller firms by offering £100 million in accelerator loans. A new National Housing Delivery Fund to be confirmed at the spending review will support long-term finance options – such as revolving credit – for small and medium sized enterprises. And more land will be released exclusively to them by Homes England, the public body that funds new affordable housing. A new consultation on reforming planning committees under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill proposes delegating most minor and technical applications to planning officers to leave committees free to consider the most complex and controversial developments. Under the plans, applications would be categorised as Tier A, which would go to officers, or Tier B, which would be considered by committees of councillors if deemed necessary. The Government also announced £10 million for councils to fund more specialists to speed up environmental assessments and a £1.2 million PropTech Innovation Fund to support innovation for small sites, for example through using new data tools. The proposals also include a new pilot in Bristol, Sheffield and Lewisham and will unlock small sites that would otherwise not have been developed. The Conservative Party has cast doubt on Labour meeting its housing target and criticised the plans. Kevin Hollinrake, shadow local government secretary, accused Labour of 'stripping councillors of the right to vote on local planning applications, concreting over green belt and withdrawing support for first time buyers'.
ITV News
28-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
'We're not killing newts!' Rayner hits back at green groups over housing reform
The housing secretary has insisted the government is protecting wildlife in its charge to build 1.5 million new homes, despite sweeping deregulation allowing some builders to sidestep biodiversity rules. Angela Rayner, who is also the deputy prime minister, told ITV News "nobody's killing wildlife" when the concerns of environmentalists were put to her, while she was visiting a development to announce her reforms. Among the plans is a move to take decision-making powers away from local councillors on small building projects, and hand them to unelected officials, in a bid to cut red tape and speed up the approval process. Trained planning officers, rather than committees of elected councillors, will be responsible for deciding on developments of up to nine homes under the plans, as well as most minor and technical applications. Minor developments will also benefit from eased biodiversity requirements, meaning builders would avoid having to pay to boost local nature habitats. Building projects with 10 to 49 homes would fall in a new category for medium-sized developments, with fewer costs, simplified biodiversity net gain rules and an exemption from the building safety levy. But environmentalists are angry, saying the proposals will give builders a licence to kill wildlife. The boss of the Wildlife and Countryside Link claimed that exempting small sites from biodiversity rules would "mean almost three-quarters of developments face no requirement to compensate for nature loss – let alone enhance it". But Rayner was adamant that "nobody's killing wildlife. What we're doing is we're protecting nature." She added: "We've got a nature recovery fund which will help to preserve nature. But we're also saying, look, we can't have situations where thousands of homes are being blocked because we haven't built the reservoir, because we haven't dealt with issues like nutrient neutrality. "We've solved those problems so we can get on and build the houses, because I want to protect newts, but I want to make sure that kids have got a place to live and I've got 160,000 children in temporary accommodation." Wildlife and Countryside Link CEO Richard Benwell added: 'These changes could leave the Biodiversity Net Gain system dead in the water and, with it, the Government's main guarantee of nature-positive planning. 'Biodiversity Net Gain is there to ensure that local communities aren't robbed of the green spaces that make places better to live in, and that developers can't take from nature without giving something back. 'This should be the rule, not the exception. Government shouldn't turn back the clock to the days of damaging development, but ensure a level playing field for all developers to contribute to growth and nature restoration.' The CEO of the RSPB, Beccy Speight, said: 'It's now clear that the bill in its current form will rip the heart out of environmental protections and risks sending nature further into freefall. 'The fate of our most important places for nature and the laws that protect them are all in the firing line. The wild spaces, ancient woodlands, babbling brooks and the beautiful melody of the dawn chorus – it's these natural wonders that delight people all over the country and support our physical and mental health that are under threat. That cannot be allowed to stand.' Meanwhile, the Conservatives hit out at plans to give unelected officials the decision over small planning applications. 'The reality is that Labour are stripping councillors of the right to vote on local planning applications, concreting over green belt and withdrawing support for first time buyers. Even the OBR say Labour won't meet their housing target," said Shadow Secretary of State for Local Government Kevin Hollinrake MP. His reference to support for first time buyers appears to refer to a temporary relief on stamp duty, introduced during the Covid pandemic which returned to normal levels in April. The party also seemed to claim migrants needing housing in the UK would prevent British people from accessing new houses. "As long as Labour's immigration conveyor belt continues those homes will be of little benefit to the British public," Hollinrake added. Rayner denied that migrants would get priority access to new homes, telling ITV News that people on temporary visas do not have the same rights to buy as British citizens. "It's astonishing that the Tories are putting out that claim when they saw record levels of immigration into the UK," she said. "It's completely bogus. "People that come to this country on work, our student visas do not have access to the housing, and neither do people who have no right to be here. "So that's rubbish. What we're doing is trying to resolve a housing crisis that has been 14 years in the making, because the Tories were too busy cozying up to their mates on their backbenches, as opposed to looking after the people of this country." The housing secretary also insisted the government is on course to achieve its aim of building 1.5 million new homes, despite warnings from local authorities and others who have said the goal is unlikely. After listing other housing reforms, including the National Planning Policy Framework, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, and putting £2.8 billion into the Affordable Homes Programme, she said: "So we're on track. It's a difficult target. We always knew it would be." "But we're putting shoulders to the wheel and we're grinding through it to build those houses that people desperately need." The government is also seeking to support smaller building firms by offering £100 million in accelerator loans. A new National Housing Delivery Fund to be confirmed at the spending review will support long-term finance options – such as revolving credit – for small and medium sized enterprises. And more land will be released exclusively to them by Homes England, the public body that funds new affordable housing. A new consultation on reforming planning committees under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, proposes delegating most minor and technical applications to planning officers in order to leave committees free to consider the most complex and controversial developments. Under the plans, applications would be categorised as Tier A, which would go to officers, or Tier B, which would be considered by committees of councillors if deemed necessary. It is also launching consultations on biodiversity net gain rules for minor, medium and brownfield developments and on planning thresholds for small and medium housing sites.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rayner: Government not compromising green protections to build homes faster
Angela Rayner has rejected that Labour will be 'bulldozing over the greenbelt' or compromising on protections for nature to build homes faster. The Deputy Prime Minister said that proposals to give a boost to smaller developers, which will ease the requirements for them to pay to boost nature habitats, were 'pragmatism' and that the Government will be able to 'protect nature at the same time'. The Government has set out proposals to cut red tape and for planning decisions to be shifted away from councillors and towards expert officers as part of efforts to meet Labour's pledge to build 1.5 million homes by 2029-30. Trained planning officers rather than committees of elected councillors will be responsible for deciding on developments of up to nine homes under the plans, as well as most minor and technical applications. The Government is considering 'streamlining' requirements on biodiversity net gain including the option of a full exemption for those minor developments. Sites with 10 to 49 homes would fall in a new category for medium-sized developments with fewer costs, simplified biodiversity net gain rules and an exemption from the building safety levy. The Wildlife and Countryside Link coalition of conservation groups urged the Government not to 'turn back the clock to the days of damaging development' with changes to the biodiversity net gain system. Housing Secretary Ms Rayner rejected that she was compromising green protections to get homes built, telling broadcasters: 'No, we're simplifying the process for houses if there's under 10 houses built, and between 10 and 49. 'So we're going to simplify that process. We're going to put more expert planners on that process as well, but we won't be compromising on nature,' she said during a visit to new housing development visit near Didcot, Oxfordshire. She said small sites are 'very different' to building large developments of hundreds or thousands of homes. 'So this is pragmatism, but we'll be able to protect nature at the same time.' Ms Rayner told the PA news agency she could not confirm how much greenbelt land would be used but said the Government has been clear on the rules about releasing it. 'It's greybelt, as we've designated (it), which is old disused car parks like garages, so it won't be bulldozing over the greenbelt just to reassure people on that.' Labour has reclassified some low-quality areas of greenbelt land which it calls the 'grey' belt. Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 'Exempting small sites would mean almost three-quarters of developments face no requirement to compensate for nature loss – let alone enhance it. 'These changes could leave the Biodiversity Net Gain system dead in the water and, with it, the Government's main guarantee of nature-positive planning. 'Biodiversity Net Gain is there to ensure that local communities aren't robbed of the green spaces that make places better to live in, and that developers can't take from nature without giving something back. 'This should be the rule, not the exception. Government shouldn't turn back the clock to the days of damaging development, but ensure a level playing field for all developers to contribute to growth and nature restoration.' The Rivers Trust said plans to remove the requirements perpetuate a 'false narrative that protecting nature is delaying housebuilding'. Chief executive Mark Lloyd warned that proposals to water it down 'risk poorer outcomes for people and nature, hampering growth by undermining confidence across sectors'. The organisation said the plans also run counter to recent recommendations from the Office for Environmental Protection urging the Government to reaffirm its commitment to biodiversity net gain. The Government is also seeking to support smaller firms by offering £100 million in accelerator loans. A new National Housing Delivery Fund to be confirmed at the spending review will support long-term finance options – such as revolving credit – for small and medium sized enterprises. And more land will be released exclusively to them by Homes England, the public body that funds new affordable housing. A new consultation on reforming planning committees under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill proposes delegating most minor and technical applications to planning officers to leave committees free to consider the most complex and controversial developments. Under the plans, applications would be categorised as Tier A, which would go to officers, or Tier B, which would be considered by committees of councillors if deemed necessary. The Government also announced £10 million for councils to fund more specialists to speed up environmental assessments and a £1.2 million PropTech Innovation Fund to support innovation for small sites, for example through using new data tools. The proposals also include a new pilot in Bristol, Sheffield and Lewisham and will unlock small sites that would otherwise not have been developed. The Conservative Party has cast doubt on Labour meeting its housing target and criticised the plans. Kevin Hollinrake, shadow local government secretary, accused Labour of 'stripping councillors of the right to vote on local planning applications, concreting over green belt and withdrawing support for first time buyers'.
South Wales Guardian
28-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Planning reforms seek to boost smaller developers to build homes faster
It will set out the detail of proposals to cut red tape and for planning decisions to be shifted away from councillors and towards expert officers as part of efforts to meet Labour's pledge to build 1.5 million homes by 2029-30. Trained planning officers rather than committees of elected councillors will be responsible for deciding on developments of up to nine homes under the plans, as well as most minor and technical applications. Those minor developments would also benefit from eased biodiversity net gain requirements, under which builders must pay to boost nature habitats. Sites with 10 to 49 homes would fall in a new category for medium-sized developments with fewer costs, simplified biodiversity net gain rules and an exemption from the building safety levy. The Wildlife and Countryside Link coalition of conservation groups urged the Government not to 'turn back the clock to the days of damaging development' with changes to the biodiversity net gain system. The Government is also seeking to support smaller firms by offering £100 million in accelerator loans. A new National Housing Delivery Fund to be confirmed at the spending review will support long-term finance options – such as revolving credit – for small and medium sized enterprises. And more land will be released exclusively to them by Homes England, the public body that funds new affordable housing. A new consultation on reforming planning committees under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill proposes delegating most minor and technical applications to planning officers to leave committees free to consider the most complex and controversial developments. Under the plans, applications would be categorised as Tier A, which would go to officers, or Tier B, which would be considered by committees of councillors if deemed necessary. It is also launching consultations on biodiversity net gain rules for minor, medium and brownfield developments and on planning thresholds for small and medium housing sites. Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said it was time to 'level the playing field' for smaller housebuilders. 'Smaller housebuilders must be the bedrock of our Plan for Change to build 1.5 million homes and fix the housing crisis we've inherited – and get working people on the housing ladder. 'For decades the status quo has failed them and it's time to level the playing field. 'Today we're taking urgent action to make the system simpler, fairer and more cost effective, so smaller housebuilders can play a crucial role in our journey to get Britain building.' Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 'Exempting small sites would mean almost three-quarters of developments face no requirement to compensate for nature loss – let alone enhance it. 'These changes could leave the Biodiversity Net Gain system dead in the water and, with it, the Government's main guarantee of nature-positive planning. 'Biodiversity Net Gain is there to ensure that local communities aren't robbed of the green spaces that make places better to live in, and that developers can't take from nature without giving something back. 'This should be the rule, not the exception. Government shouldn't turn back the clock to the days of damaging development, but ensure a level playing field for all developers to contribute to growth and nature restoration.' The Government also announced £10 million for councils to fund more specialists to speed up environmental assessments and a £1.2 million PropTech Innovation Fund to support innovation for small sites, for example through using new data tools. The proposals also include a new pilot in Bristol, Sheffield and Lewisham will unlock small sites that would otherwise not have been developed. The Conservative Party cast doubt on Labour meeting its housing target and criticised the plans. Kevin Hollinrake, shadow local government secretary, said: 'We are the party of small business and whilst in government we boosted finance and the allocation of more sites for SMEs. We have also been pushing the government to do more so welcome any workable changes to do so. 'But as long as Labour's immigration conveyor belt continues those homes will be of little benefit to the British public. 'The reality is that Labour are stripping councillors of the right to vote on local planning applications, concreting over green belt and withdrawing support for first time buyers. Even the OBR say Labour won't meet their housing target. 'Just last week Angela Rayner was caught plotting tax hikes on working families. What she will bring is higher taxes and less say over development in your community.'
North Wales Chronicle
28-05-2025
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
Planning reforms seek to boost smaller developers to build homes faster
It will set out the detail of proposals to cut red tape and for planning decisions to be shifted away from councillors and towards expert officers as part of efforts to meet Labour's pledge to build 1.5 million homes by 2029-30. Trained planning officers rather than committees of elected councillors will be responsible for deciding on developments of up to nine homes under the plans, as well as most minor and technical applications. Those minor developments would also benefit from eased biodiversity net gain requirements, under which builders must pay to boost nature habitats. Sites with 10 to 49 homes would fall in a new category for medium-sized developments with fewer costs, simplified biodiversity net gain rules and an exemption from the building safety levy. The Wildlife and Countryside Link coalition of conservation groups urged the Government not to 'turn back the clock to the days of damaging development' with changes to the biodiversity net gain system. The Government is also seeking to support smaller firms by offering £100 million in accelerator loans. A new National Housing Delivery Fund to be confirmed at the spending review will support long-term finance options – such as revolving credit – for small and medium sized enterprises. And more land will be released exclusively to them by Homes England, the public body that funds new affordable housing. A new consultation on reforming planning committees under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill proposes delegating most minor and technical applications to planning officers to leave committees free to consider the most complex and controversial developments. Under the plans, applications would be categorised as Tier A, which would go to officers, or Tier B, which would be considered by committees of councillors if deemed necessary. It is also launching consultations on biodiversity net gain rules for minor, medium and brownfield developments and on planning thresholds for small and medium housing sites. Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said it was time to 'level the playing field' for smaller housebuilders. 'Smaller housebuilders must be the bedrock of our Plan for Change to build 1.5 million homes and fix the housing crisis we've inherited – and get working people on the housing ladder. 'For decades the status quo has failed them and it's time to level the playing field. 'Today we're taking urgent action to make the system simpler, fairer and more cost effective, so smaller housebuilders can play a crucial role in our journey to get Britain building.' Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 'Exempting small sites would mean almost three-quarters of developments face no requirement to compensate for nature loss – let alone enhance it. 'These changes could leave the Biodiversity Net Gain system dead in the water and, with it, the Government's main guarantee of nature-positive planning. 'Biodiversity Net Gain is there to ensure that local communities aren't robbed of the green spaces that make places better to live in, and that developers can't take from nature without giving something back. 'This should be the rule, not the exception. Government shouldn't turn back the clock to the days of damaging development, but ensure a level playing field for all developers to contribute to growth and nature restoration.' The Government also announced £10 million for councils to fund more specialists to speed up environmental assessments and a £1.2 million PropTech Innovation Fund to support innovation for small sites, for example through using new data tools. The proposals also include a new pilot in Bristol, Sheffield and Lewisham will unlock small sites that would otherwise not have been developed. The Conservative Party cast doubt on Labour meeting its housing target and criticised the plans. Kevin Hollinrake, shadow local government secretary, said: 'We are the party of small business and whilst in government we boosted finance and the allocation of more sites for SMEs. We have also been pushing the government to do more so welcome any workable changes to do so. 'But as long as Labour's immigration conveyor belt continues those homes will be of little benefit to the British public. 'The reality is that Labour are stripping councillors of the right to vote on local planning applications, concreting over green belt and withdrawing support for first time buyers. Even the OBR say Labour won't meet their housing target. 'Just last week Angela Rayner was caught plotting tax hikes on working families. What she will bring is higher taxes and less say over development in your community.'
