The Housing and Regeneration Bill

13-Dec-07

A Housing and Regeneration Bill is currently before Parliament

What does the bill does…

The Housing and Regeneration Bill aims to regulate and delivering more social and affordable housing and to promote regeneration. 

The key planning content of the Housing and Regeneration Bill is set out in Part 1 and primarily concerns the establishment and provisions of the Homes and Communities Agency [HCA]. The HCA will only operate in England

The bill will:

  • abolish the Urban Regeneration Agency, the Commission for New Towns and the Housing Corporation;
  • establish the Homes and Community Agency as their successor body and make provisions for its operation;
  • make provision for sustainability certificates

Issues

Objectives of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA)

The proposed objectives are:

  • to improve the supply and quality of housing in England
  • to secure the regeneration or development of land or infrastructure in England, and
  • to support in other ways the creation, regeneration or development of communities in England or their continued well-being, with a view to meeting the needs of people living in England.

RTPI Comment

The HCA presents an opportunity to for a national strategic approach to promote effective regeneration and deliver integrated social and affordable housing and the necessary infrastructure requirement which imperative in achieving sustainable development and creating sustainable communities.

Local Planning Authority Powers for HCA

The provision of powers for the HCA are modelling on the Urban Regeneration Agency

The powers contained in the bill allow for the Secretary of State (SoS) to designate by order, the HCA as the local planning authority for all or part of any area the SoS considers suitable for development. The powers are broad ranging in so far as the HCA remit in a particular area can cover everything from particular development management functions to full development plan making responsibilities. In this situation the HCA will have to function in accordance with existing planning legislation

The secretary of state must consult with local authorities and the local planning authority that for an area or part of an area that is to be designated.

RTPI Comment

The RTPI is generally supportive of the provisions contained in the bill in relation to the increased delivery of quality social and affordable housing, effective regeneration and development requirements. However, with such power comes responsibility. The HCA has an obligation to ensure individuals and communities are given the opportunity to be effectively engaged in the making and shaping of places they are to live, whether in the new created communities or existing ones.

Sustainability Certificates

The bill will introduce sustainability certificates for new homes. Providers will duty bound to supply the purchasers of new homes a certificate regarding the sustainability of the property. Interim certificates can be given where a property has not been completed and where there is no certificate a statement must be provided to the fact.

Assessments for the certificates will be carried out by Authorised Assessors.

RTPI Comment 

The RTPI welcomes measures that support the provision of quality homes and the addressing the issue of climate change through housing delivery. However, the introduction of sustainability certificates should not become an incentive for housing providers to further slow the pace of delivering the necessary housing provision.

RTPI Action

The RTPI has broadly welcomed the Bill as a necessary means of delivering the housing programme envisaged by the Government following the housing green paper, and ensuring that broadly affordable housing plays is delivered as an appropriate proportion of the housing mix.  The planning powers envisaged for the agency in the Bill are by no means unprecedented, and would be appropriate to enable the delivery of growth points and eco-towns, just as historically similar powers were used to deliver new towns.

Within the context of a broader strategy of engaging strongly with the Planning Bill, the RTPI is not currently proposing any amendments to this Bill.  However, please do email your comments to the Policy Team if there are any issues that you would like to see communicated to government.

 

 
Author:
Phil Grant
Publisher:
The Royal Town Planning Institute
Date:
13-Dec-07
Categories:
Policy, Practice 
Sections:
What Planning Does

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