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Government 'spending billions keeping people homeless' claims Rayner amid Labour plans to unclog planning regulation
8 December 2024, 11:51 | Updated: 8 December 2024, 11:52
Angela Rayner has told LBC the government is 'spending billions keeping people homeless' in temporary housing, as Labour announced it's plans to reduce planning red tape.
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Labour said on Sunday that it will stop council planning committees from blocking development which meet local plan requirements, the Deputy PM announced.
Speaking on Sunday with Lewis Goodall, Rayner said: "People have said they need the houses, to put it into context, we're spending billions of pounds keeping people homeless in temporary accommodation.
"We have over 150,000 children in temporary accommodation at the moment, there isn't a listener that hasn't got a relative or someone in their family who either can't afford to get on the housing ladder or are waiting for social housing.
"So we're desperate to make that change, we've got the mandate to do it and I'm gonna deliver it".
Planning applications which meet local development plan requirements will bypass council committees according to the deputy leader.
Ms Rayner said that these reforms would be aiming to end delays and cut the time needed to get homes built.
The changes represent an attempt from Sir Keir Starmer's party to meet his target of 1.5 million new homes to be built in the next five years.
Lewis Goodall speaks to Angela Rayner | Watch the full interview
It comes as Rayner commented on the ongoing bid to abolish leaseholds, after thousands continue to be slapped with soaring service charges on purchased properties.
"It's a very complex situation....we will end the feudal system and move to commonhold, it is a complex situation, the previous government have made matters worse," said Rayner.
"There are elements of the Leasehold Bill that they produced that we're trying to take forward but we will end that by the end of this Parliament because we do understand the issues around service charge and leasehold is basically leaving people held to ransom."
The pledge to reduce planning restrictions was reiterated at Starmer's press conference laying out his plan to meet his manifesto targets last week.
Ms Rayner, who is also the Housing Secretary, said: "Building more homes and infrastructure across the country means unblocking the clogged-up planning system that serves as a chokehold on growth.
"The Government will deliver a sweeping overhaul of the creaking local planning committee system.
"Streamlining the approvals process by modernising local planning committees means tackling the chronic uncertainty and damaging delays that act as a drag anchor on building the homes people desperately need."
The Deputy Prime Minister said the Government was "tackling the housing crisis we inherited head-on with bold action" as it worked towards building 1.5 million homes over five years.
The housebuilding commitment was one of the six "milestones" the Prime Minister set out in a wide-ranging speech on Thursday, against which the public can measure the Government's performance.
Under Ms Rayner's proposals, council officials would have a strengthened role in decision-making about planning while the councillors who sit on the committees will get new mandatory training.
Alongside the reforms, the Government is this week expected to confirm sweeping changes to the National Planning Policy Framework - the document which sets out national priorities for building - following a consultation.
This is expected to see increased housing targets which will be mandatory for the first time, with the aim of reaching the Government's pledge to build 1.5 million homes this Parliament.
Ms Rayner said: "Through our Planning and Infrastructure Bill, alongside new National Planning Policy Framework and mandatory housing targets, we are taking decisive steps to accelerate building, get spades in the ground and deliver the change communities need."
