New “Planning Passport” To Boost Property Development
So, what is the planning passport exactly? It’s a scheme that has been launched by the current government. The aim of the scheme is to speed up the construction of more apartment blocks, not individual houses and bungalows, within towns and cities.
This was recently announced during a government conference, who believe this new system of planning passports would be a game-changer for the housing market in the UK. The government intends to build 1.5 million new homes within the next five years.
The Brownfield Passport
The ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has put forward the proposal of a ‘brownfield passport system.’ A brownfield passport contains all of the relevant information of a brownfield site. A brownfield site is land that was previously occupied by a permanent structure, often being left derelict or rarely used. These sites often face contamination issues, making it unsafe for people to reside within them.
These brownfield sites are considered valuable as they can provide additional housing without building upon the countryside. The use of brownfield sites allows property developers to make use of existing land. The government is providing funding to local councils to aid them in releasing brownfield land for future housing opportunities.
Quality Construction over Tower Blocks
One of the key goals of the planning passport scheme is to reduce the construction of bungalows in the areas of Bermondsey and Birmingham. Instead, they hope to increase the densification within UK cities between Leeds and Liverpool. The government has stated their idea is not to build more tower blocks, but to create quality multi-dwelling buildings.
The government has stated they wish to see UK cities and towns flourish, and a core part of this is to ensure there are enough homes to support this growth.
The Benefits for Property Developers
The decision to go ahead with the planning passport scheme has been of interest to property developers across the nation. And with this decision actually comes a lot of benefits. Here are two main benefits for those in the property development sector:
· A reduction in approval time. It is well known how lengthy planning applications can be. And in the property development world, time is of the essence. But with the launch of this scheme, lengthy wait times could be mitigated by meeting specified conditions that are clearly laid out in advance.
· Cost-effectiveness. With the planning passport scheme, we can expect to see a streamlining of approval processes. With a more efficient process in place, we are likely to see a reduction, in both administrative and holding costs, within the property development sector. This could make ambitious projects more feasible.
The Role Of Local Governments
The government has emphasised the need for cities to ‘grow out’ by releasing more ‘grey belt’ land, as well as densifying within their existing boundaries. They have also stated that in building denser cities, there will be potential for both growth and prosperity nationwide. With denser cities comes better transport infrastructure, closer distance to work and wider talent pools.
It has also been stated that the work cannot be delivered effectively through the central government alone. The central government intends to work with local government leaders, mayors and developers to deliver the scheme effectively throughout the UK.
