Burnham to Seek Mayor Powers Over 150-Home Projects as Labour Pushes 1.5 Million Homes
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 23
Burnham to Seek Mayor Powers Over 150-Home Projects as Labour Pushes 1.5 Million Homes
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 23
Summary
Next week’s consultation will let devolved mayors call in major planning decisions, order councils to approve or refuse them, and in some cases grant upfront permission for building to start.
The powers would cover schemes of more than 150 homes, commercial developments above 15,000 square metres, or buildings taller than 30 metres, while ministers keep a backstop intervention power.
Burnham said the change would challenge poor local decisions in either direction and force earlier talks between councils and mayors to make projects acceptable.
Ten of 14 devolved mayors back the plan, which extends powers already given to London mayor Sadiq Khan to unblock stalled sites and build more affordable homes.
The proposal comes with the government only a little over a quarter of the way toward its five-year goal of 1.5 million homes, while Liberal Democrats called it a direct attack on local communities.