Deputy prime minister John Prescott has said he will call in housing developments in the South East that have fewer than 30 houses per hectare (ha).
Speaking at the Urban Summit in Birmingham today Prescott said that he would be enforcing the density targets laid down in the government’s planning guidance.
At present the average density of a new housing development is 24 houses per ha.
He said: “Future housing developments in the South East will be at 30 homes per ha. If developers want to build at lower densities they will have to apply for special permission.
“In Barcelona the densities are higher than 400 units per ha. Only in Britain would it be controversial to go above 24.”
Prescott added that to increase the supply of land for housing he would tighten links between the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships.
Prescott said that the chief executives of each body would sit on the others’ executive board, and would be directly accountable to him.
EGi News 31/10/02
