UKGBC reacts to Angela Rayner's planning announcement

Simon McWhirter, Deputy Chief Executive of the UK Green Building Council, responds to Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner's planning announcement.

Simon McWhirter, Deputy Chief Executive of the UK Green Building Council, said: 

Planning reform is a tightrope and Angela Rayner clearly appreciates that. A clear win would be to turn the tens of thousands of empty houses and buildings that blight high streets and neighbourhoods into affordable homes. 

No-one wants to see unchecked urban sprawl, so the new ‘grey-belt’ designation must be properly defined and should be primarily limited to nationally strategic sites. Exceptions for small scale affordable housing already exist for communities in green belt areas. 

To avoid a nationwide backlash, people will need to feel the benefit from new homes and clean energy infrastructure. The Government understands this means a much higher proportion of genuinely affordable, high-quality housing with excellent access to public services, public transport and green spaces. A neat solution already has momentum and was backed by Labour in Opposition – legally wedding the planning system to the Climate Change Act so every planning decision helps meet, not scupper, the UK’s climate and nature restoration goals. 

A revitalised National Policy Planning Framework is a chance to quickly pivot planning policy towards the well-considered, coordinated and holistic system we need to bring climate emissions under control and halt the collapse of nature. We’ll be convening experts from across the built environment sector to help the Government get this right.”  

Policy & Advocacy

We bring together some of the most influential leaders in politics, business, local authorities, civil service and NGOs to accelerate action for a green built environment.
Learn more

Related