Gove threatens to strip planning powers to speed up house building

MICHAEL GOVE has threatened to strip planning approval powers from the Peak District National Park Authority and nine councils in an attempt to speed up house building.

The Communities Secretary wrote letters to the bodies’ chief executives after they were found to be repeatedly falling short of targets for making decisions on planning applications.

Mr Gove warned that decision-making powers would be removed and given to the Uk-wide Planning Inspectorate unless tangible improvements were seen by June. Such a move would probably result in more building applications being approved, given the Planning Inspectorate is a centralised body with no ties to specific areas.

The nine councils targeted beyond the Peak District by Mr Gove are: Calderdale; Cotswold; Epsom & Ewell; Guildford; Hinkley & Bosworth; Pendle; Portsmouth; Vale of White Horse and Waverley.

A government source told The Daily Telegraph: “The performance of these planning authorities is not good enough. We need many more homes across the country and laggardly local bureaucrats must up their game or Gove will intervene.”

The Conservatives have repeatedly failed to hit their target of building 300,000 homes a year while in government. The figure was included in the party’s 2019 election manifesto.

Boris Johnson’s government had proposed the biggest shake-up in the planning system in generations but it was ditched in 2021 after a backlash from the Tory grassroots. Planning authorities are given targets on how quickly to turn around applications for developments by central government.

For sizable developments the target is making a decision on 60 per cent of applications within 13 weeks. For smaller proposals, the target is 70 per cent of decisions within eight weeks.

Letters from Mr Gove to the chief executives of the bodies were recently published on the government website. In his letter to the Peak District National Park Authority, Mr Gove wrote: “I have significant concerns about the performance of a handful of local authorities including your council.” He quoted the missed target figures, adding: “That is indicative of a very poor quality service to local residents and a significant deterrent to investment in your local housing market and wider economy.

“That is not good enough, and despite some more encouraging recent data, I am therefore minded to designate the Peak District National Park Authority. As you know, the consequences of formal designation are that applicants could submit relevant planning applications directly to the Planning Inspectorate until I am satisfied that acceptable performance can be, or has been, achieved.

“I have asked the Planning Inspectorate to prepare for designations over the summer period.”

Meanwhile, Mr Gove this week is expected to unveil the long-awaited Renters’ Reform Bill which will make it easier for landlords in England to evict tenants for antisocial behaviour.