Thread by @IoWBobSeely

We’ve reached an understanding with Gov’t re. #planning & we’re discussing with colleagues.

We need a community-led, #green & regenerative system.

🏡🏡

#housing @luhc @michaelgove @lucyfrazermp #iwnews @10DowningStreet @Telegraph @thetimes @PA

1/17
telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/…

Those who’ve campaigned against bad development have too often been smeared as being #NIMBYs. In my book, they're local patriots. 🇬🇧

We also know #community groups, on the #IsleofWight and across the #UK, have despaired at top-down targets.

2/17

We (Theresa Villiers & I) agree. So, we:
a) built an alliance of Tory MPs
b) put down amendments
c) negotiated intensively with @michaelgove, @luhc & others to evolve language & ideas in the flagship Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill (#LURB).

We’ve agreed the following:

3/17

1. Targets remain, but they are “advisory,” a “starting point” & “a guide that is not mandatory.” Targets will be more constrained by density & area's existing character, preventing suburbs feeling like they’re being turned into cities and rural areas into suburbs.
🏙️➡️🏞️❌

4/17

2. The power of planning inspectors’ changes, amounting to “a rebalancing of the relationship” between them & local councils. They’ll take a more “reasonable” & “pragmatic” approach to local plans to “take account of the concerns of the local community.”

5/17

3. We’ve agreed, with some exceptions, to end the pernicious five-year land supply, a corrupting rule which means that land must be available to feed #housing supply - regardless of whether developers fulfil their responsibility to build. ✅❌

6/17

4. The Gov’t will review their processes for prioritising #brownfieldland, including derelict sites & former-industrial land. More housing will aim to revive communities in Midlands & North; no point talking regeneration if development is focused on the south & suburbs.🏚️

7/17

5. Cities can’t palm-off their housing to other areas. ✋❌Outside London, we have some of the lowest density cities in the world. We agree with @michaelgove that we need to gently densify cities to take pressure off of suburbs & rural areas. ✅

8/17

6. There’s also a review to do more to convert empty spaces above shops into homes & (as Gov’t confirmed) a review to use compulsory purchase powers to force the sale of long-term vacant or derelict buildings. We need more of a ‘use it or lose it’ attitude.🏚️

9/17

7. The agreement confirms powers to increase the % of affordable homes. In counties like the #IsleofWight, where second homes are common but affordable-housing scarce, we’ll be able to prioritise our local young people. This means a lot to MPs like me.

10/17

8. Additionally, the Gov’t has committed – for the first time - to a character test for developers. This is an important (first) step to drive cowboys from the housing market. Financial penalties will apply to those who don’t develop. 🤠❌

11/17

So, we have bigger carrots & sharper sticks.🥕🪵

12/17

This is only the start. We will do more to help communities under pressure & change attitudes towards planning. These reforms create an expectation that Gov’t will deliver; Theresa & I will do everything we can to help Gov’t #LevelUp the UK.

13/17

This is a decent start, it’s also proof of a party working together & bodes well for @RishiSunak leadership. 👍 But there needs to be delivery of the substance of what’s been promised.

14/17

Listening to our communities, we’ve shaped an agenda that, simply put, is more conservative, in line with our communities’ wishes. For this reason, we will now withdraw the dozen+ #LURB amendments in Theresa’s name.

15/17

Many of these new ideas will be in policy documents by the end of this month. The effect will start in the New Year & will bring in a better system soon.

16/17

Finally, thank you to all who’ve fought bad #development over the years. We hope councils, Cllrs & communities across Britain will find, in our new approach, a decent #Xmas present in the battle for better planning. 🎁 After all, you’re not NIMBYS, you’re local patriots.

17/17