Government housing proposals could create delay in delivering new homes by making planning more complex and less effective, says the South East England Regional Assembly.

Responding to consultation on Draft Planning Policy Statement 3 for Housing (PPS3), Assembly members are concerned that proposals:

• Wrongly assume that simply building more houses will make housing more affordable;
• Will prevent local authorities from phasing land release to favour brownfield sites;
• Will add complexity by requiring local authorities to maintain a five-year supply of housing land;
• Will complicate and therefore inevitably slow the delivery of new housing.

Under PPS3 local authorities must keep a rolling five-year supply of land, with no ability either to phase land release to match infrastructure investment or to encourage development of brownfield sites rather than greenfield land. PPS3 would allow developers to cherry- pick easy, profitable sites; this could undermine key planning objectives such as urban renaissance and countryside protection.

Cllr Keith Mitchell, Chairman of the Assembly, said: “PPS3 is seriously flawed in presuming that building more homes can determine the housing market and make housing more affordable. Last year, responding to the Government’s consultation on planning for housing provision, we had wide agreement – across parties as well as from the business, social and environment sector - that this is not the right approach. We are very disappointed that Government failed to heed our advice for PPS3. The South East needs to deliver growth and seeks to do that through appropriate planning processes and by gaining support from local people for essential development. We believe PPS3 reduces the prospects for delivering necessary housing growth and is likely to increase growing public concern with the operation of the planning system. It could even create problems with infrastructure provision.”

The Assembly, however, supports PPS3 where it recognises that more needs to be done to increase affordable housing in rural areas. It also agrees that there should be a greater focus on design quality, on making better use of land, on sustainability appraisal, and on the delivery role of local authorities.

Contacts

Lesley van Dijk, Assembly PR Executive - 01483 555223

Heather Bolton, Assembly Communications Director - 01483 555220

Notes to editors:

1. Please see the housing section for the Assembly's response to the consultation on the Draft Planning Policy Statement 3 for Housing.
2. The South East England Regional Assembly is the "voluntary regional chamber" for the South East. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the South East region, which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, and Surrey.
3. The Regional Assembly is made up of 112 members including elected councillors nominated by the region's local authorities and 37 representatives from other sectors of the community (including business, trades unions, education, housing, health, sports, culture, tourism, faith groups, environmental, community and voluntary organisations) as well as the New Forest National Park Authority.
4. The Assembly has three areas of core business:
• It is the representative voice of the South East, engaging and representing its member organisations and, through them, the wider public.
• The Assembly has a specific role under the Regional Development Agencies' Act 1998 to ensure the accountability of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to the region.
• The Assembly has been the Regional Planning Body for the South East since April 2001. It has responsibility for proposing strategic planning and transport policies to Government.

Last updated: 21 August 2007