{"id":31876,"date":"2021-11-26T17:01:10","date_gmt":"2021-11-26T17:01:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsblogsnew.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=31876"},"modified":"2021-11-26T17:01:10","modified_gmt":"2021-11-26T17:01:10","slug":"new-research-shows-space-for-1-3m-homes-on-recycled-land-is-being-ignored","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=31876","title":{"rendered":"New research shows space for 1.3m homes on recycled land is being ignored"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Countryside Charity\u2019s (CPRE) latest report on the state of brownfield in England has found that this previously developed land could accommodate over 1.3 million new homes \u2013 an increase of almost 10% on 2020.<\/h3>\n

image: for illustration purposes only – Open Government Licence v3.0<\/em><\/h6>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2026 Build on brownfield first \u2013 a \u2018win-win\u2019 solution\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n

CPRE writes:<\/p>\n

CPRE\u2019s latest report on the state of brownfield in England has found that this previously developed land could accommodate over 1.3 million\u00a0new\u00a0homes \u2013 an increase of almost 10% on 2020.<\/p>\n

But with the proportion of brownfield plots with planning permission currently the lowest since records began \u2013 down from 53% last year to 44% now \u2013 it is clear that, despite recent warm words from the government, these sites are not being prioritised.<\/p>\n

Instead, housing developers continue to target the countryside\u2019s green fields, even as they become more vital than ever for tackling the climate and biodiversity crises.<\/p>\n

Our\u00a0Recycling our land report<\/a>\u00a0cites the example of Trafford in Greater Manchester, where the council is proposing that warehouses, 5,000 homes and four new roads are developed on Carrington Moss \u2013 an area with significant amounts of Green Belt, peatland, woodland and prime agricultural land \u2013 despite plentiful supplies of suitable brownfield land in the area.<\/p>\n

Build on brownfield first \u2013 a \u2018win-win\u2019 solution<\/h2>\n

CPRE is calling for new national planning policies to prioritise the recycling of land for housing. This approach could also allow areas like the West Midlands to enjoy huge economic and social benefits from the transformation of their derelict sites into quality homes \u2013 with space for nearly 100,000 in this region alone.<\/p>\n

The Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, is certainly keen, telling CPRE: \u2018The simple fact is there is no excuse to destroy the countryside while so much brownfield land is available\u00a0for housing \u2026 levelling up our towns and cities so that they are thriving, attractive places to live and work\u00a0\u2013 with nature on the doorstep to be explored and enjoyed.\u2019<\/p>\n

CPRE President Emma Bridgewater has personal experience of reviving derelict land and buildings in the West Midlands through her Stoke pottery factory. She launched our report by calling for the return of a \u2018brownfield first\u2019 policy, as a \u2018win-win\u00a0solution\u00a0that\u00a0holds back the tide of new buildings in pristine\u00a0countryside\u00a0and aids urban regeneration\u00a0at\u00a0a stroke.\u2019<\/p>\n

A change of direction?<\/h2>\n

Emma also welcomed the government\u2019s \u2018warm words\u00a0on developing brownfield\u00a0land\u00a0first\u2019 as \u2018a welcome change of direction\u2019, referring to the new housing secretary Michael Gove\u2019s recent evidence to the housing, communities and local government select committee.<\/p>\n

On 8 November, Mr Gove told MPs, \u2018I am very keen, working with Homes England and local government, to get a brownfield first policy that really works, and to provide people with the sort of housing that is welcomed and needed \u2026 and, I hope, affordable in urban settings that we need to concentrate on.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n

‘Making the most of previously developed land is a government priority and it will help protect our cherished countryside and green spaces.’
\nRt Hon Michael Gove MP<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

This is great news for our campaign, and follows the housing secretary\u2019s October pledge that \u2018making the most of previously developed land is a government priority and it will help protect our cherished countryside and green spaces.\u2019 We at CPRE have long argued that well connected brownfield sites can provide the homes people need \u2013\u00a0close to jobs, services and existing infrastructure.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Time for action<\/h2>\n

CPRE believes the best way to achieve this is to incorporate a comprehensive \u2018brownfield first\u2019 policy in the National Planning Policy Framework, to ensure suitable brownfield land is developed before any greenfield or Green Belt land is considered. To be clear, we\u2019re not talking about the disused sites that are important for wildlife, but the wasted spaces that blight so many communities….<\/p>\n

Read more….<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Countryside Charity\u2019s (CPRE) latest report on the state of brownfield in England has found that this previously developed land could accommodate over 1.3 million new homes \u2013 an increase of almost 10% on 2020. image: for illustration purposes only – … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sector-newsblog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31876"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31876\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31877,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31876\/revisions\/31877"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}