The Ministry of Housing says that any housing development near a station in England will be approved.
In addition, any local authority in England will now be required to tell the government when they intend to reject new housing developments of 150 homes or more, enabling the secretary of state time to overrule local decision making more quickly. 聽
The proposals will also include minimum housing density standards for these sites.
Housing secretary Steve Reed said: 鈥淚 promised we鈥檇 get Britain building and that鈥檚 exactly what we are doing. But it has to be the right homes in the right places and nearby transport links are a vital part of that.鈥�
Applications called in by ministers will also be sped up through the removal of the mandatory requirement for inquiries, with the option to consider matters through written representations before reaching a decision where appropriate.聽聽
It will also consult on proposals to remove Sport England, The Gardens Trust and Theatres Trust from the list of organisations that have to be consulted by law.
This initiative builds on work already under way following the launch of Platform4 鈥� through a merger of Network Rail Property and London & Continental Railways 鈥� with plans to develop 40,000 homes on brownfield land near railway stations over the next 10 years.
The National Federation of Builders (NFB) welcomed the announcement. Chief executive Richard Beresford said: 鈥淏uilding around existing transport infrastructure is the organic placemaking the nation has been crying out for. It will provide planning certainty 鈥� helping projects become viable and speeding up delivery of homes.鈥�
Rico Wojtulewicz, head of policy and market insight at the NFB, added: 鈥淏uilding around transport, encouraging density, tackling planning politics, and supporting planners 鈥� many of us in the industry are left speechless at the ambition and conviction.鈥�
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