Government pushes on planning reform without full consultation

The government is set to push through radical planning reforms before Christmas without full input from the sector.

It hopes to add the proposals, which give developers the choice to pay money instead of building affordable housing under planning gain agreements, to the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill, according to an ODPM spokesman.

The last opportunity to do this will be at the bill's report stage, when amendments are reviewed by MPs. This stage is set to conclude before Christmas but consultation over the proposals is not due to finish until 8 January.

Planners and housing professionals are angry that the government is pressing forward without their input.

Chris Wood, director of housing at the London Borough of Newham, said: "They evidently are bouncing us into it, and you have to ask how meaningful this consultation is."

Kelvin MacDonald, director of policy and research for the Royal Town Planning Institute, said: "We would resist it. Consultation should mean consultation. It would seem amazing if they put it in the bill."

Under the government's proposals, private developers will be able to opt to pay a charge to a local council, rather than provide affordable housing through a section 106 planning gain agreement.

At the moment, 12,000-15,000 houses are delivered through planning gain every year.

The government launched the shake-up because it feels the planning system doesn't deliver quickly enough.

But the housing sector is concerned the reform would damage social housing provision by ending mixed tenure developments.

Wood said: "This is likely to compromise the ability of local authorities to negotiate mixed-tenure developments."

Dino Patel, policy officer for the London Housing Federation said: "Developers will be tempted to pay the fee and build their own private estate. You'll end up creating ghettos."

The consultation says affordable housing could be secured as part of an "in-kind" contribution in the charge, but gives no details of how this would work.

There is also concern that the money councils received from the charge wouldn't necessarily be spent on affordable housing.

Terry Fuller, vice chair of the Housebuilder's Federation London, said: "You have to ask how many votes there are in housing.

"Could this charge actually end up providing more swimming pools for the community or bigger cars for the mayor?"

A spokesman for the ODPM said: "We will work to ensure the money from this charge will be used on community projects in or around the development."