Rachel Maclean: The merits and economic case for how to approach a regeneration of an estate will vary in different places. The local authority, relevant housing association, together with partners and residents are best placed to carry out an assessment based on the local context.
Rachel Maclean: I thank the hon. Lady for her comments, but I remind all Members in this Chamber that we have already passed the Elections Act 2022; it passed the scrutiny of both Houses and is now law. If she refers to the debates in Hansard, she has treated us to a compilation of the Liberal Democrats’ greatest hits—and that is no surprise because, as always, they do one thing and say another. If she...
Rachel Maclean: I thank my hon. Friend the Father of the House for those very sensible and proportionate comments. He is right that, as political parties, we all have a responsibility to ensure that our constituents and those voters take part in our democratic process. That is what this process is about. I am afraid that the kind of scaremongering comments that we have just heard from the Liberal Democrats,...
Rachel Maclean: ...majority of the general public support the policy. I remind Opposition Members that we were elected on a manifesto commitment to introduce these measures. They have been thoroughly debated in both Houses and have received very serious parliamentary scrutiny. Opposition Members are asking the same questions that they have asked time and time again, and I remind them that prior to the...
Rachel Maclean: ...’s stepping in and putting the lease up for auction. My hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South may be aware that, on 27 March this year, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced that £2 million would be made available by the antisocial behaviour action plan to support communities and businesses to bring such derelict properties back into use....
Rachel Maclean: I thank my hon. Friend and commend him for all the work he is doing on behalf of his constituents, who I know used to be regulars at the Crooked House pub. We have all watched the situation there with great concern. I will take his ideas seriously and look at what more we can do; I thank him for those proposals. We have seen some transformational examples of section 215 powers being put to...
Rachel Maclean: The Government remains committed to the Right to Buy, which since 1980 has enabled over two million social housing tenants to become homeowners. Any future announcements will be set out in the usual way.
Rachel Maclean: As previously outlined to this House on 7 June 2023, the number of long-term empty homes remains substantially lower than when records began in 2004. As of May 2010, over 300,000 homes in England had been standing empty for longer than 6 months. As of October 2022, the number of long-term empty properties had fallen to 248,633. The Government wants to encourage empty homes back into use and...
Rachel Maclean: ...of potential schemes, across the public, private and conservation sectors. Our ambition is to move as quickly as possible to ensure real world environmental benefits are secured alongside new housing delivery. This means establishing a strategic approach for catchments that offsets the limited nutrients outflow from new housing at the same time as starting to restore Habitats Sites which...
Rachel Maclean: ...completions in England that are purpose built flats are shown in Live Table 254, at the following link. These cover new build dwellings only and should be regarded as a leading indicator of overall housing supply. The department also publishes an annual release entitled 'Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England', which is the primary and most comprehensive measure of housing...
Rachel Maclean: ...greater certainty on design expectations at an early stage in the planning process. Our national design guidance has been developed in consultation with built environment professionals, including housing developers, with the feedback collated and reviewed prior to publication.
Rachel Maclean: ...with their use. As part of the National Planning Policy Framework consultation between 22 December 2022 and 2 March 2023, we sought views on how we can help bring forward more community-led housing, including almshouses. We expect to publish a response to the consultation this Autumn.
Rachel Maclean: ...of England. We welcome ideas from existing and new partners who have an ambition to deliver more affordable homes. More details are online here. The Mayor of London, through the London Plan and Housing Strategy, sets out where homes should be built and what level of affordable housing is required.
Rachel Maclean: In 2019, the government published Guidance on Housing for Older and Disabled People, to help local authorities plan for the housing needs of these groups. Among other things, this guidance set out the range of needs local authorities should assess, as well as the evidence that local authorities can consider when identifying the housing needs of older and disabled people.
Rachel Maclean: The Secretary of State for Levelling Up tabled a written ministerial statement yesterday on the Government’s plans, but I am happy to provide an update to the House. In proposing these amendments, we are responding to calls from local—
Rachel Maclean: ...in cases where planning permission has already been granted. This has affected home building of all types, whether that is the redevelopment of empty spaces above high street shops, affordable housing schemes, new care homes or families building their own home. The block on building is hampering local economies and threatening to put small and medium-sized local builders out of business....
Rachel Maclean: ...To be clear, our approach means that there will be no overall loss in environmental outcomes. Not only do the measures that we are taking address the very small amount of nutrient run-off from new housing, but at the same time, we are investing in the improvement of environmental outcomes. We do not agree that this is regression on environmental standards. We are taking direct action to...
Rachel Maclean: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his questions and remarks. I take them to mean that he will support the measures when they come before the House. I am delighted to hear his support for our sensible, practical and pragmatic approach to unblock much needed housing across the country. He asked about our engagement with Natural England; we have had detailed discussions. He asked about the current...
Rachel Maclean: ...is a serious and complex issue, and we needed time to consider all the legal aspects of it. However, what I come back to time and time again is that we need to unblock planning permissions. We need housing all over the country. We are doing that at the same time as protecting the environment and I very much hope to have further dialogue with him about this in the future.
Rachel Maclean: I am aware that my hon. Friend represents an area with acute environmental sensitivities and he is right to raise those concerns on the Floor of the House. We work across Government not only to tackle the storm overflow issue to which he refers, but to find a way to allow house building and other types of building that is much needed to drive jobs and investment, and to support businesses in...
