All or nothing – The Localism Bill receives Royal Assent
The long awaited, and possibly dreaded, Localism Bill received Royal Assent on the 15 November and became the Localism Act.
But will Localism help or hinder the creation of new communities?
According to the Department for Communities and Local Government: “The Act will grant new rights and powers to communities and individuals, and allow for a more democratic and effective planning system.”
A new tier of planning has also been created with the introduction of a new right for communities to influence decisions on planning in their neighbourhood. This right includes the ability to influence where local people think development should take place.
Essential to this community control of future development is the Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles’, map of more than 180,000 assets owned by almost 600 public sector bodies, including central and local government.
This map was heralded as a major opportunity for the creation of new homes and the initiative was supported by a buy now pay when development starts, funding scheme.
However, Mr Pickles’ map can also be used by local people who will use the land and asset lists alongside the Localism Act’s new community rights to protect perceived ‘local treasures’ by rejecting development.
What many appear to have forgotten is that the Localism Act also grants new rights to communities to bid for land and run local authority services.
If a local an authority ‘asset of community value’ comes up for sale that authority must allow a moratorium of six months on the sale of the asset, to allow local groups the time to put together a bid to take it over for ‘community benefit’.
So, it will appear that a land identification initiative, designed to help build lower cost new build neighbourhoods could very easily be hijacked by those who hate to see new homes built in their backyard.
However, it could be that nothing will happen and nothing will change. But are housebuilders really ready to believe that or find ways to make Localism work for them?
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