Havering Council has issued a robust objection to the Government’s proposed London Emergency Housing Package, warning that the measures would have “extremely damaging and long lasting consequences”.
Under the proposals, local authorities would be required to grant temporary Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) relief to housing developments in certain circumstances and accept a significant expansion of Mayoral powers over planning decisions.
The proposals would remove millions of pounds needed to deliver essential local infrastructure for schools, health facilities, plus transport improvements and community amenities at precisely the moment Government is asking boroughs to deliver more homes.
Havering has made clear in the official response letter to Government that both measures are unacceptable.
Since the Local CIL was introduced in 2010, Havering has collected around £9.6 million from developers to support infrastructure.
Reducing this income stream for up to two years would leave no alternative source of funding, placing even more unsustainable pressure on the Council and existing services as well as weakening public trust in the planning system.
At the same time, proposals to allow the Mayor of London to take over applications of more than 50 homes represent, in Havering’s view, an unjustified centralisation of powers that would make planning decisions more remote and less accountable to local communities.
It is also important to be clear that there is no evidence the CIL is a barrier to development.
Greater pressures come from wider market conditions outside the Councils control.
Removing CIL would do nothing to resolve the true causes of stalled development, while it would significantly undermine the Council's ability to fund the essential infrastructure our communities rely on.
Cllr Graham Williamson, Cabinet Member for Development and Regeneration, said:
“It is completely unacceptable.
“These proposals are nothing short of a direct threat to Havering’s ability to function as a responsible planning authority and undermines years of locally led planning work,
based on detailed evidence of local needs, constraints and viability. It will only add complexity, uncertainty and bureaucracy and contradicts the Government’s own agenda to speed up and simplify the planning process.
“Our residents expect us to stand up for them, and that is exactly what we are doing. Weakening local decision making and funnelling more power to City Hall is undemocratic and unnecessary. Havering is performing well, we are delivering homes, and we do not need our powers hollowed out.
“If Government wants to reduce costs for developers, it should do so from national funds - not by raiding Havering’s budgets that support our schools, roads, GP surgeries and public services. We urge Ministers to rethink these proposals immediately.”