Government announces new restrictions on 'garden-grabbing' and scraps minimum density target
The government has announced the immediate reclassification of residential gardens, which it says will enable councils and residents to more easily refuse development requests to build new houses in private back gardens.
Planning guidance issued by the previous government had classified gardens as 'previously residential land', in the same category as derelict factories and disused railway sidings. It has now amended Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) to remove the classification of 'previously developed land'. The new guidance can be viewed at: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/pps3housing.
According to government figures, the proportion of new houses built on previously residential land such as gardens rose dramatically between 1997 and 2008, from one-in-ten new builds to one-in-four.
The minister for Dentralisation Greg Clark said:
"For years the wishes of local people have been ignored as the character of neighbourhoods and gardens have been destroyed, robbing communities of vital green space. It is ridiculous that gardens have until now been classified in the same group as derelict factories and disused railway sidings, forcing councils and communities to sit by and watch their neighbourhoods get swallowed up in a concrete jungle.
“Today I am changing the classification of garden land so councils and communities no longer have their decisions constantly overruled, but have the power to work with industry to shape future development that is appropriate for their area. This is just the start of wholesale reform I want to make to the planning system, so councils and communities are centre-stage in a reformed system that works for them, and is not just a tool of top-down policy."
At the same time, the government also announced the abolition of the minimum housing density target, in an effort to encourage more the construction of family houses rather than flats. It said that the move would give councils the abilty to decide what level of density is appropriate for their areas, and work with developers to deliver the right mix of homes for the local community, encouraging more family homes and affordable housing.
The density target that was first introduced in PPG3 in 2000 encouraged councils to build new houses at a density of 30-50 dph and seek greater intensity of development in city and town centres. PPG3 was revised in 2006 and the minimum density target reduced to 30 dph in PPS3.
The Housing Minister Grant Shapps said:
"The current system with its push for high density has resulted in developers building one or two bedroom executive flats, when the greatest need is often for affordable family homes. That's why from today communities will be allowed to make their own decisions about what homes are needed in their area, and no longer be victims of a system designed to maximise profits and minimise choice."
