Government’s Long-term Plan for Housing
27th July 2023
19th century affordable housing in Jericho, Oxford. Credit Kamyar Adl/flickr
The government has announced its long-term housing plan, and although there are some encouraging signs, we’re urging the government to rethink development plans.
Commenting on the government’s plan for housing, Roger Mortlock, chief executive of CPRE said:
‘There are some positive indications that the government is listening on planning. Signs of a shift towards a genuine brownfield first planning policy, with a commitment to regenerate town and city centres, are to be welcomed. So too are the words on affordable housing, building the right homes in the right places, and promises to avoid ‘concreting over the countryside.’
‘It’s promising to see that ministers appear to be trying to balance the competing demands on the countryside to deliver housing, farming, recreation and nature.
‘However, this is not just a challenge in the south. There are large towns and cities up and down England in need of regeneration. Cities across the Midlands and the north have good universities, attractive surrounding countryside and plenty of underused brownfield sites crying out for regeneration. We shouldn’t believe that Oxford and Cambridge are the only places in England where new jobs can be created.
‘We also need to see the government push through promised changes on speeding up local plan adoption and providing more genuinely affordable homes on large development sites.’
Helen Marshall, Director of CPRE Oxfordshire, said:
‘In Oxford’s case we know that there are City centre sites being prioritised for employment that would be better used to address the local housing need. These sites could be used for innovative, high quality affordable properties for those currently needing homes. Oxford City Council’s growth agenda proposes creating 20 times more jobs than homes, a move that will simply exacerbate housing issues for those who want, or need, to live in the City.’