Day: November 16, 2017

New figures out today (16 November 2017) show the number of new homes in England has risen by 15% over the past year – as government begins to see the results of efforts to get the country building.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid welcomed the figures as he set out next steps in fixing our broken housing market and boost building more homes.

Speaking in Bristol, which in the past year has seen one of the largest increases in England – 30% – in the number of homes, he set out his vision for housing.

He also announced action against 15 local authorities that have failed to produce a local plan setting how and where they expect to meet their residents’ needs for new homes.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said:

These latest figures are clear evidence that this government is turning things around with over 1.1 million homes delivered since 2010.

Steps have been made in the right direction – but I want to see a giant leap, and hundreds of thousands more homes. We owe it to our future generations to fix this broken housing market and help them find a home of their own.

Whilst some councils are recognising their responsibilities and stepping up to meet the housing challenge, too many are still not acting. That’s why I’m stepping in now to make sure they act.

In 2004, the existing procedure for councils to draw up a local plan, setting how and where they expect to meet their residents’ needs for new homes was introduced.

Latest figures published today show that more than 70 local authorities still have not had a local plan adopted and 15 of these are showing particular cause for concern having missed deadlines and failed to make progress.

These 15 local authorities have now been served notice that government has begun the formal process of intervention as set out in the housing white paper.

Without a local plan in place it can mean uncertainty for local people and piecemeal speculative housing development. It can also mean the right investment in local infrastructure isn’t made.

Housing remains the government’s priority – that’s why the Prime Minister last month announced an additional £2 billion funding for affordable housing, increasing the Affordable Homes Programme budget to over £9 billion.

Other steps taken by government include the £3 billion Home Building Fund – set up to increase the number of homes built. Today we have confirmed that £1.8 million has been committed to deliver over 100,000 new homes.

Government has also provided long-term rent certainty for social landlords, creating a stable investment environment to support councils and housing associations to build more affordable homes.

Further information

See the new supply of housing statistics published today.

The 217,350 net additions over the past year resulted from: 183,570 new build homes, 37,190 gains from change of use between non-domestic and residential, 5,680 from conversions between houses and flats and 720 other gains.

The 15 local authorities we have begun the formal process of considering intervention are: Basildon, Brentwood, Bolsover, Calderdale, Castle Point, Eastleigh, Liverpool, Mansfield, North East Derbyshire, Northumberland, Runnymede, St Albans, Thanet, Wirral and York.

They will now have until 31 January 2018 to explain why they haven’t yet published a plan and provide any exceptional circumstances for why the government shouldn’t intervene. The Communities Secretary would then consider these submissions before deciding whether to use the range of powers he has to direct specific actions on these local authorities. This could ultimately see government take over the process to produce a local plan in a certain area.

Further details are set out in the written ministerial statement.

• UK and Welsh Governments introduce new water protocol for England and Wales
• Paves the way to remove the Secretary of State powers to intervene on water policy in Wales
• Protocol demonstrates how far we have come from the events of 52 years ago, which resulted in the flooding of the Tryweryn Valley
• Protocol will come into force on 1 April 2018

The UK Government has today laid before Parliament a water protocol for England and Wales which will safeguard water resources, water supply and water quality for consumers on both sides of the border.

Delivered jointly with the Welsh Government, this protocol meets a key commitment made during the passage of the Wales Act 2017 and paves the way for the Secretary of State powers of intervention in relation to water to be repealed.

Under the Government of Wales Act 2006, the Secretary of State currently holds powers to intervene if he believes an Assembly Bill, or the exercise of a devolved function, risks having a serious adverse impact on water resources, water supply or water quality in England.

The protocol replaces these intervention powers with a reciprocal agreement between the UK and Welsh Governments.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

The UK Government is today acting on its commitment to deliver a water protocol so that the interests of water consumers in Wales – and those in England – are protected.

From today onwards, no action or inaction by either the UK or Welsh Governments relating to water resources, water supply or water quality should have serious adverse impacts for consumers on either side of the border.

This protocol demonstrates how far we have come from the events of 52 years ago, which resulted in the flooding of the Tryweryn Valley. Today’s agreement puts cross-border arrangements for water on a footing fit for the 21st century and underlines what can be achieved when two governments work together for Wales’ future prosperity.

These are powers which affect the lives of everyone living in Wales and are a major step towards the clearer, stronger and fairer devolution settlement that the UK Government is putting in place for the people of Wales.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said:

Across the UK we have a shared interest in protecting our environment and delivering a Green Brexit.

The new water protocol for England and Wales is an important part of this shared interest and will make sure water resources, supply and quality are safeguarded for consumers on both sides of the border.

We must all continue to work closely together on the environment, fisheries and agriculture as powers are returned from the European Union.

The intervention powers will be repealed when the new reserved powers model of devolution put in place by the Wales Act 2017 comes into effect on 1 April next year.

You can read the protocol here.