UNBOUNCE - HELP GUIDE - LOGO - PORTFOLIO BRADLEY HALL - Flipbook - Page 87
accelerating supply rates, and they will
inevitably make a meaningful contribution
following the Government’s promotion of its
garden settlements initiative. However, whilst
the new NPPF acknowledges that the supply
of large numbers of new homes can often be
best achieved through planning for larger
scale development, this is often only the case
in strong market areas. Small sites on the
other hand are consistently ecient across all
areas and have quick build-out rates.
The draft new NPPF proposes to place a
requirement on all Local Planning Authorities
for at least 20% of sites identied for housing
in their development plans to be half a
hectare or less in size - a measure aimed very
clearly at stimulating others to supplement
the major residential development
companies. Whilst aordable housing
providers and public-sector organisations,
including Local Authorities, will have a key
role to play, a wholesale reinvigoration of the
SME housebuilding sector seems essential if
housing supply is to be propelled towards the
ambitious targets being set by Government.
SME businesses have unfortunately been in
sustained decline for many years for a variety
of reasons including ever-tougher tax and
regulatory frameworks, access to land policy,
and funding constraints. Therefore, according
to the HBF, there are only 2,500 SME
operators building homes today compared to
over 12,000 at the height of the last
housebuilding boom in the late 1980s.
A much greater role for SMEs is
anticipated, and indeed required, in the
coming years with many Local Authorities
starting to realise that a greater diversity of
sites will help in achieving their housing
requirements more eectively. This has also
clearly been recognised by the Government in
their proposed revisions to the NPPF.
The availability of suitable housing sites
combined with the constant struggle of
securing an implementable planning consent
through a planning process beset by delays
and bureaucracy, inevitably creates delays and
costs for SMEs that have a signicant impact
on their ability to establish themselves and
grow. Understanding these challenges and
how to address them is therefore vital for our
land and development clients as we look
ahead to the new NPPF world.
ISSUE 04 : SUMMER 2018
For planning and design
advice please call
BH Planning and Design
on 0191 232 8080
MEET THE BH PLANNING & DESIGN TEAM
Mark ketley
Director of BH
Planning and Design
0191 232 8080
Christopher Whitehouse
Director of BH
Planning and Design
0191 232 8080
Lauren Gill
Administrator
0191 232 8080
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