400k homes with p. permission in England unbuilt

[Brendan Boal]

The planning system is holding back new homes and I think it is quite deliberate. Properly accountable and empowered local government (not what we have now) should be able to say when, where and how many new homes are built. Each plot could be sold off by public auction with landowners paying a reasonable planning gain levy. This would result in far more self-build/small builder developments, breaking monopoly and lowering costs, whilst also improving quality and variety, at no public cost. I believe this doesn't happen because central government (of all shades) doesn't want it to. By limiting supply they inflate prices and stimulate consumer borrowing and spending against those inflated values. This has become the principle means of creating the illusion of growth. It is exactly the kind of 'tick' economics your mum and dad warned you about. All talk of fiscal responsibility following the financial crisis is bull. They can't wait to get back into bubble
 economics.


Whether it's housing, finance or any other area of the economy, it's all about market regulation, when you don't have it, corporations simply steal everything.

Brendan.



________________________________
 From: Zardoz <tony at cultureshop.org.uk>
To: Diggers350 at yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Thursday, 22 August 2013, 22:05
Subject: [Diggers350] 400k homes with p. permission in England unbuilt
 


  
Developers limiting supply to fix market, keep price artificially high

Councils hit out at builders and developers over unbuilt homes in England
http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/england-new-homes-builders-201308228150.html

Thursday, 22 August 2013 
There are still nearly 400,000 homes in England which have been given planning permission but haven't yet been built, according to new research published today (Thursday 22 August). 

The study, commissioned by the Local Government Authority and carried out by Glenigan, shows that there has been little progress made in reducing the bumper backlog over the past year.

The figures are a blow at a time when the UK government is trying to boost new home building due to demand and new measures to help with funding are encouraging more buyers.

The study also shows that developers are now putting in fewer planning applications and taking longer to complete work on site. Councils are concerned that the fall in planning applications they are receiving may threaten the prospect of a long term house building recovery.

The LGA, which speaks on behalf of more than 350 councils in England, said the figures show the need for government to remove restrictions on council investment in housing, and concentrate efforts to rejuvenate house building on funding the construction of new homes, rather than further meddling with the planning system.

Preliminary findings in the report show that the backlog in homes with planning permission yet to be built was reduced by just 6,000 in the past year. It now takes 27 months, on average, from sites receiving planning permission to building work being completed, some seven months longer than in 2007/2008. Last year the mean average was 25 months.

Councils continue to approve almost nine in every 10 planning applications they receive yet the number of planning applications fell by 5% last year, separate government figures show.

Local authorities are calling for significant investment to tackle the new homes backlog and get more homes built. It is claimed that thousands of shovel ready sites could be kick started into action if a Treasury imposed cap on the amount councils can invest in new housing was lifted.

Recent research showed that councils could build up to 60,000 additional new homes over the next five years if they were allowed to invest in housing against normal borrowing guidelines. This would create jobs, boost Gross Domestic Product by 0.6% and reduce the housing benefit bill.

`The bumper backlog of unbuilt homes and drop in the number of planning applications submitted to councils last year is a worrying sign that the housing market is not yet on the road to long term recovery. While there has been progress made, this risks being undermined if we do not find a way to ensure developers keep up with demand,' said Councillor Mike Jones, chairman of the LGA's environment and housing board.

`These figures conclusively show that it is not the planning system holding back the building of much needed new homes. Councils are approving nine in every 10 planning applications we receive and we know that there has been an increase in the numbers of first time buyers getting mortgages. The challenge now lies in actually getting houses built,' he explained.

`Government schemes to help buyers access finance risk creating a bubble if there isn't an increase house building to match it. Government has an unrivalled opportunity to create jobs, provide tens of thousands of homes and help the economy without having to find a single extra penny. New homes are badly needed and councils want to get on with building them. The common sense answer is for the Treasury to remove its house building block and let us get on with it,' he added.

In 2012/2013 some 3,057 schemes obtained planning permission, totalling 165,903 potential homes. There were 6,500 schemes with planning permissions yet to be completed as of the end of March 2013, consisting of 381,390 unbuilt homes. Building work had yet to start on 61% of the uncompleted schemes.

The mean average time taken for a development to progress to completion having obtaining planning permission was 27 months in 2012/2013. This has increased from 20 months in 2007/2008 and 25 months in 2011/2012.


 
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