Developers have described a Welsh Government proposal to block developments that don’t meet “place-making” criteria as “laudable” but warned it could exacerbate the housing shortage.
Housing minister Julie James last week said that “place-making” will be at the heart of national planning policy in Wales.
This would ensure planning decisions consider all aspects of well-being and deliver new developments which are sustainable and provides for the needs of people.
Stephen Wade. director of Legat Owen, said confusion about what this meant in reality could end up leading to more red tape, appeals and delays in the planning process.
He said: “Welsh Government’s aspirations to improve the quality of new housing development is a laudable one which on face value appears to make sense but unless policy is very well defined it is likely to lead to yet more planning appeals as developers and local authorities clash over what is really meant by ‘place making’.
“Wales has a housing crisis right now with total new house building actually falling due in no small part to the burden of red tape in the planning process and issues of commercial viability.
“Layering more cost on the house-building industry for 'place making' isn’t going to help turn this around.”
Gwyn Jones, managing director at St Asaph-based housebuilder Macbryde Homes, said: “We are proud of the communities that we create and always put the needs of the local area first.
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“An additional layer of bureaucracy within the planning system would simply slow down the delivery of much-needed housing and attention should instead be focused on adequate land supply so that we can continue delivering homes to the local people who need them.”
The Welsh Government is currently considering what changes can be made to enable ministers to be sighted on applications which are not embracing this new approach.
Examples of the criteria housing developments should have, include:
- Ensure the right homes are in the right places for the people that need them the most.
- Have built-in walking and cycling routes.
- Are powered and heated by renewable energy generation and are energy-efficient;
- Contain open green spaces.
- Minimise waste and consider the circular economy.
The housing minister also said the financial assistance the Welsh Government provides to the development sector through mechanisms such as housing grants, such as Help To Buy and regeneration funding should all be used to incentivise good practice.