Local authorities are failing to make the best use of planning policies to secure more affordable housing, a DTLR report claimed today.
The report, Delivering affordable housing through planning policy, drawn up by Entec UK, Nottingham Trent University and the Three Dragons, studied planning authorities across England.
It found that local authorities did not follow guidance on drafting housing needs surveys and had no coherent idea of what constituted affordable housing.
Local authorities were also criticised for not adopting a clear, uniform approach to drawing up section 106 agreements for planning gain.
Planning and housing minister Lord Falconer described the situation as a “lost opportunity” for supplying more affordable homes.
He added: “It is apparent from the research that some councils are not properly using planning policies.”
The report, which canvassed every local authority in London, the North West, the West Midlands, the South East and the South West, said that the researchers “were unable to identify many examples of best practice”.
EGi News 28/02/02
