England's Homes agency denies allegations of land hoarding
In a recent development, the Home Builders Federation (HBF) has accused the UK government of failing to intervene on Natural England's disproportionate ban on new homes, leading to a decline in housing approvals.
According to Stewart Beasley, the executive chairman of the HBF, the decline in housing approvals is a direct result of the government's alleged capitulation to the nimby lobby on planning. Beasley claimed that this misdirection of effort and resources is a major issue, as the number of planning permissions for housing projects is 'continuing to nosedive to new record lows' across England.
The HBF's assertions come after an analysis by The Telegraph found that Homes England had land for 279,000 housing plots, equivalent to 9,000 hectares, that remained unbuilt upon. This figure represents a 20% reduction compared to the number of projects granted permission last year.
However, Homes England has refuted these claims and the figures being stated. The government-owned housing agency has emphasised that it enables the right homes to be built in the right places, many of which are affordable. In fact, Homes England has already built on 3,000 hectares, delivering 50,000 homes, and has disposed of around 3,000 hectares under a land lease, delivering an additional 50,000 homes.
Furthermore, Homes England has plans to develop an additional 4,990 hectares, which would accommodate 55,000 newly constructed properties, with 30,000 of these to be delivered within the next five years. The unbuilt land is being held to ensure the continued pace of house building is realised and policy objectives, such as sustainability and design, are met.
The UK government commissions Natural England to address issues related to new building projects in England, especially where these projects threaten protected natural environments. Natural England has intensified these measures over the past four years due to increasing concerns about environmental protection and biodiversity loss linked to development pressures.
Despite these efforts, the first three months of 2023 saw only 3,037 housing projects granted planning permission, which is the lowest quarterly figure on record. The number of projects approved in the final quarter of 2022 was already at its lowest rate since the data set began in 2006, and the new figure is 11% lower.
This situation has raised concerns about the government's ability to meet its pledge to build 300,000 new homes annually, a target it has yet to achieve. The government's alleged inaction on Natural England's disproportionate ban on new homes has been a contentious issue, with the HBF calling for immediate intervention to address the decline in housing approvals.
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