Commenting on the Government’s Planning White Paper published this afternoon, HBF Executive Chairman, Stewart Baseley, welcomed the assistance the Government’s proposals should provide for home builders in delivering an improved supply of sustainable homes:
”Better, stronger, faster. The Planning White Paper is not the six million dollar man but it should help give Britain the planning system it needs. Positive use of Planning Performance Agreements could help incentivise local authorities to bring forward the land needed to deliver sustainable homes.”
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Notes to editors:
1. The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the principal trade federation for private sector home builders and voice of the home building industry in England and Wales. The HBF’s 300 member firms account for over 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year, and include companies of all sizes, ranging from multi-national, household names through regionally based businesses to small local companies: www.hbf.co.uk
2. The Planning White Paper was published by the DCLG on 21 May 2007:
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm71/7120/7120.pdf
3. HBF’s own research has shown that Local authorities take on average 248 days – nearly nine months – to issue planning approval after the submission of a new housing application: http://www.hbf.co.uk/index.php?id=1591&tx_ttnews[pS]=1162339200&tx_ttnews[pL]=2591999&tx_ttnews[arc]=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=10319&tx_ttnews[backPid]=1538&cHash=a20c492a60
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Paul Boulter
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