House Builders are the problem!

Labour made quite a song and dance before the General Election about reforming (they even used the word  ‘bulldozing) the planning system to build more houses.  Indeed they have got off the mark quite quickly with publishing a draft set of the basic planning regulations called the National Planning Policy Framework.

I have been following planning matters now for a good twenty years and it seems to me bulldozing regulations, or even revising them will NOT speed up house building, given that over 95% of house building is done by private developers.

Private housebuilders are in the job to make a profit and the present planning rules on something called ‘viability’ effectively guarantees housebuilders a profit of at least 15% on anything they build. Imagine any other industry getting such a guarantee!

So unless Labour tackle the house building mafia, which they currently show no appetite to do, the rate of building affordable houses in particular will not improve.

Stephen Hardy MBE, Chair Bexhill & Battle Liberal Democrats