November 2019
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With Government committed to achieving 300,000 new builds per year this timely seminar will discuss the future of house building in England, focusing on the planning reform, finance and challenges for delivering the supporting infrastructure for new sites - as well the latest innovation in design and construction.
Planning, increasing build out rates, and delivering infrastructure for new housing
Delegates will assess priorities for tackling barriers to building new homes - including the impact of proposals to speed up change of use and extend permitted development rights aimed at accelerating the end-to-end process of housing delivery.
It comes as part of a wider Accelerated Planning green paper due this autumn, and following the Government response to Sir Oliver Letwin’s Independent review of build out outlining plans to bring forth additional planning guidance on housing diversification.
The Secretary of State has announced that reforms to the planning system will include:
- simplifying planning permission guidance so that housing can replace disused commercial buildings at greater speed; and
- extended permitted development rights that allow two storeys to be added to private homes and blocks of flats without requiring planning permission.
We expect further discussion on the new planning practice guidance from MHCLG - as Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) regulations are simplified to allow for greater freedom around infrastructure funding and delivery.
The seminar comes as MHCLG’s Housing Delivery Tests reveal that many councils are failing to meet their objectively-assessed need targets and as the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) encourages local authorities to proactively make use of brownfield sites.
Sessions will consider new planning rules that allow residents to see how property developers’ money is being spent on the delivery of new homes - a policy intended to enhance public confidence in community housing projects.
This also follows the announcement that Government will work towards negotiating a Built Environment Sector Deal with industry - which will prioritise the delivery of homes through new initiative schemes, enhancing sector productivity, improving skills in the workforce, and supporting the development of clean growth.
Innovation to improve energy efficiency, reduce cost and improve quality
We also expect discussion on the future of innovation in housebuilding - including the potential use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).
This follows the MHCLG Select Committee’s report on MMC and Government’s response, which set out plans to back access to finance for small and medium sized builders utilising MMC, review planning rules to support the use of MMC, and to create a Working Group tasked with addressing barriers to insurance and finance for custom build projects.
Discussion will further draw on the former Chancellor’s announcement that there will be a Future Homes Standard on new build homes by 2025 to ensure that they are equipped with the latest low-carbon and energy efficient technology and as the Government welcomes the Building Better, Building Beautiful commission with a view to improving the suitability, design and aesthetics of new development.
