FactCheck: Housing crisis update

Today was the deadline for local councils to get their house in order before the government’s new planning rules come into force. It’s a key milestone in the battle between ministers and developers who want to increase the housing supply, and pressure groups who are worried that rural England is about to disappear beneath a sheet of concrete. The government introduced a new streamlined National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) last year with a presumption in favour of sustainable development. Councils were supposed to have a Local Plan in place by today, setting out how much housing will be needed in the future and where it should be built. But the last time we checked only three in 10 English local authorities had finalised the document – a lapse that could leave them badly exposed to land-hungry developers. Now it’s crunch time. How many councils have adopted Local Plans? Just under half the councils in England (47 per cent or 162 out of 343) have formally adopted a Local Plan. You can check whether your area is covered now here. About seven out of 10 councils have begun the process, but it is a slow one. Of the local authorities who [...]

Source: http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/factcheck-housing-crisis-update/13116

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