Today, Tuesday 13 February 2024, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has responded to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) announcement that, as part of its long-term plan for housing, it will support new developments on brownfield land, and extend permitted development rights (PDR).
RIBA President Muyiwa Oki said: “Today’s announcements show positive intention, but this is a piecemeal approach to housing delivery.
“Unlocking brownfield land has a clear role to play and we strongly support this. However, it’s only part of the solution. A qualitative review of the green belt, for example, will help to identify pockets not suitable for green belt protection but suitable for development.
“We also urge the Government to think carefully about permitted development rights, so they cannot be abused to result in substandard new homes. If we allow for permitted development rights, they must be accompanied by measures to ensure they do not become ‘loophole policies’ that give no guarantee that people’s homes meet the standards required by full planning permission. Otherwise, this risks opening the floodgates to a generation of slum housing.
“Today’s interventions may boost localised, mostly urban housebuilding, but they do not provide us with a convincing long-term plan to deliver the volume of high-quality homes people urgently need. We will respond to both consultations announced today and continue to call for a comprehensive approach to housing delivery.”
