Angela Rayner is facing intense criticism over Labour's housing plans (Image: Getty)
Angela Rayner will sweep aside concerns in a “rush” to blitz communities with more houses, critics have declared.
Shadow housing secretary Kevin Hollinrake said Ms Rayner was in a “headlong rush to build more homes”.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Angela Rayner approves demolition of Oxford Street store as she reverses Tory decision
146 Comments
The medieval UK city set to be transformed in ￡2 billion project
5 Comments
Huge ￡10m mega-project at a standstill in major UK city as furious locals rebel
6 Comments
Angela Rayner in 'car crash interview' as she completely fumbles immigration question
1162 Comments
Labour slammed for prioritising union pay rises over public safety as criminals rejoice
265 Comments
Keir Starmer can show he's serious about housing crisis by reforming this key contract
Comments
The UK city set for huge transformation thanks to incredible ￡19m revamp
5 Comments
Angela Rayner humiliated as councils say her big plan to build 1.5m homes is ‘impossible'
529 Comments
Take back criminals or lose out on foreign aid and visa deals, countries told
50 Comments
Moment Kay Burley grills Labour minister over migrant housing: 'Where will you put them?'
220 Comments
Fury in tiny UK village as Labour forces through mega-prison housing 1,700 criminals
415 Comments
Moment Kay Burley leaves Labour minister completely stumped in clash over prison plan
94 Comments
Huge boost to African country handed ￡539m for trains and airports
8 Comments
The AA calls for Rachel Reeves to use 'permanent methods' on potholes to fix roads
6 Comments
Labour launches war on councils but minister admits new prisons plan is already doomed
4 Comments
Angela Rayner set to ditch big house building rules and you'll hate it
31 Comments
Angela Rayner torn apart for planning changes that will 'bulldoze concerns of communities'
565 Comments
Chris Packham warns countryside at risk from government's housebuilding targets
59 Comments
Angela Rayner declares war on NIMBYs as councils ordered to build 1.5 million homes
219 Comments
Angela Rayner just made a mistake so jaw dropping it shows Labour are taking us for fools
559 Comments
Angela Rayner approves demolition of Oxford Street store as she reverses Tory decision
146 Comments
The medieval UK city set to be transformed in ￡2 billion project
5 Comments
Huge ￡10m mega-project at a standstill in major UK city as furious locals rebel
6 Comments
Angela Rayner in 'car crash interview' as she completely fumbles immigration question
1162 Comments
Labour slammed for prioritising union pay rises over public safety as criminals rejoice
265 Comments
Keir Starmer can show he's serious about housing crisis by reforming this key contract
Comments
The UK city set for huge transformation thanks to incredible ￡19m revamp
5 Comments
Angela Rayner humiliated as councils say her big plan to build 1.5m homes is ‘impossible'
529 Comments
Take back criminals or lose out on foreign aid and visa deals, countries told
50 Comments
Moment Kay Burley grills Labour minister over migrant housing: 'Where will you put them?'
220 Comments
Fury in tiny UK village as Labour forces through mega-prison housing 1,700 criminals
415 Comments
Moment Kay Burley leaves Labour minister completely stumped in clash over prison plan
94 Comments
Huge boost to African country handed ￡539m for trains and airports
8 Comments
The AA calls for Rachel Reeves to use 'permanent methods' on potholes to fix roads
6 Comments
Labour launches war on councils but minister admits new prisons plan is already doomed
4 Comments
Angela Rayner set to ditch big house building rules and you'll hate it
31 Comments
Angela Rayner torn apart for planning changes that will 'bulldoze concerns of communities'
565 Comments
Chris Packham warns countryside at risk from government's housebuilding targets
59 Comments
Angela Rayner declares war on NIMBYs as councils ordered to build 1.5 million homes
219 Comments
Angela Rayner just made a mistake so jaw dropping it shows Labour are taking us for fools
559 Comments
Angela Rayner approves demolition of Oxford Street store as she reverses Tory decision
146 Comments
The medieval UK city set to be transformed in ￡2 billion project
5 Comments
Huge ￡10m mega-project at a standstill in major UK city as furious locals rebel
6 Comments
Angela Rayner in 'car crash interview' as she completely fumbles immigration question
1162 Comments
Labour slammed for prioritising union pay rises over public safety as criminals rejoice
265 Comments
Keir Starmer can show he's serious about housing crisis by reforming this key contract
Comments
The UK city set for huge transformation thanks to incredible ￡19m revamp
5 Comments
And Housing Minister Matthew Pennycock admitted this morning that the Government is willing to take local plans – which set out where and how many houses will be built in an area – from councils if they refuse to hit Government targets.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his deputy Ms Rayner have vowed to overhaul the planning system and build 1.5 million homes.
Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner will unveil Labour's planning reforms today (Image: Getty)
Ms Rayner said the question was now where, not whether, homes would be built, with Labour said to be targeting the Home Counties.
But Mr Hollinrake told GB News: “We are not against building more houses. In fact that is exactly what we have been doing. The last decade was the most successful period of housing delivery in 50 years.
“What I am concerned about with these rules is that they are really going to drive a coach and horses, a bulldozer if you like, through local concerns about where they are going to be built and how they are going to be built.
“1.5 million new homes but lots of those homes are going to be built in green belt, in rural areas. Targets in London will be reduced, targets in most big rural areas across the country will be doubled.
“So it is really where they are going to be built is the concern and the thing is people’s concerns are going to be completely swept aside by Angela Rayner in this headlong rush to build more homes when we have already got lots of planning consents around the country.”
The updated national planning policy framework (NPPF) will commit to a "brownfield first" strategy, with disused sites that have already been developed in the past prioritised for new building.
The default answer when a developer seeks to build on brownfield sites will be "yes".
But councils will also be ordered to review their green belt boundaries to meet targets by identifying lower quality "grey belt" land that could be built on.
The updated NPPF will define grey belt land for the first time.
Any development on green belt land must comply with new "golden rules", which require developers to provide infrastructure for local communities, such as nurseries, GP surgeries and transport, as well as a higher level of social and affordable housing.
Mr Pennycock said the Government is "absolutely willing" to step in and take a local plan away from local authorities if it refuses to put one in place to meet homebuilding targets.
Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We want to support those authorities that share our ambition, that are working in good faith to get those plans in place... but those small number of recalcitrant authorities that say 'no, we are not complying, we will not look to meet these housing targets, we will not work to put local plans in place' - we are absolutely willing to use the full range of ministerial intervention power."
He added: "There is a series of escalating steps we can take bearing down on performance.
"But in extremis, I want to be very clear about this, the Government can take a local plan off a local authority that is resisting putting one in place, and we are absolutely willing to do it, if we have evidence that individual local planning authorities are refusing to comply.
"Refusing to allow their communities, their residents, to shape development in the way that best suits them in a given area - we are willing to step in if that happens."
Mr Pennycook said there needs to be a "smarter and more strategic way" to look at green belt land and release "the right parts" of it for development to meet local housing needs.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme a definition of "grey belt" would be set out later in the House of Commons to this end.
"Essentially, what we're trying to get at with grey belt is the fact that the green belt itself isn't an ecological designation, and we know there are lots of parcels of land within the green belt that are poorly performing against its purposes.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Angela Rayner approves demolition of Oxford Street store as she reverses Tory decision
146 Comments
The medieval UK city set to be transformed in ￡2 billion project
5 Comments
Huge ￡10m mega-project at a standstill in major UK city as furious locals rebel
6 Comments
Angela Rayner in 'car crash interview' as she completely fumbles immigration question
1162 Comments
Labour slammed for prioritising union pay rises over public safety as criminals rejoice
265 Comments
Keir Starmer can show he's serious about housing crisis by reforming this key contract
Comments
The UK city set for huge transformation thanks to incredible ￡19m revamp
5 Comments
Angela Rayner humiliated as councils say her big plan to build 1.5m homes is ‘impossible'
529 Comments
Take back criminals or lose out on foreign aid and visa deals, countries told
50 Comments
Moment Kay Burley grills Labour minister over migrant housing: 'Where will you put them?'
220 Comments
Fury in tiny UK village as Labour forces through mega-prison housing 1,700 criminals
415 Comments
Moment Kay Burley leaves Labour minister completely stumped in clash over prison plan
94 Comments
Huge boost to African country handed ￡539m for trains and airports
8 Comments
The AA calls for Rachel Reeves to use 'permanent methods' on potholes to fix roads
6 Comments
Labour launches war on councils but minister admits new prisons plan is already doomed
4 Comments
Angela Rayner set to ditch big house building rules and you'll hate it
31 Comments
Angela Rayner torn apart for planning changes that will 'bulldoze concerns of communities'
574 Comments
Chris Packham warns countryside at risk from government's housebuilding targets
59 Comments
Angela Rayner declares war on NIMBYs as councils ordered to build 1.5 million homes
219 Comments
Angela Rayner just made a mistake so jaw dropping it shows Labour are taking us for fools
559 Comments
Angela Rayner approves demolition of Oxford Street store as she reverses Tory decision
146 Comments
The medieval UK city set to be transformed in ￡2 billion project
5 Comments
Huge ￡10m mega-project at a standstill in major UK city as furious locals rebel
6 Comments
Angela Rayner in 'car crash interview' as she completely fumbles immigration question
1162 Comments
Labour slammed for prioritising union pay rises over public safety as criminals rejoice
265 Comments
Keir Starmer can show he's serious about housing crisis by reforming this key contract
Comments
The UK city set for huge transformation thanks to incredible ￡19m revamp
5 Comments
Angela Rayner humiliated as councils say her big plan to build 1.5m homes is ‘impossible'
529 Comments
Take back criminals or lose out on foreign aid and visa deals, countries told
50 Comments
Moment Kay Burley grills Labour minister over migrant housing: 'Where will you put them?'
220 Comments
Fury in tiny UK village as Labour forces through mega-prison housing 1,700 criminals
415 Comments
Moment Kay Burley leaves Labour minister completely stumped in clash over prison plan
94 Comments
Huge boost to African country handed ￡539m for trains and airports
8 Comments
The AA calls for Rachel Reeves to use 'permanent methods' on potholes to fix roads
6 Comments
Labour launches war on councils but minister admits new prisons plan is already doomed
4 Comments
Angela Rayner set to ditch big house building rules and you'll hate it
31 Comments
Angela Rayner torn apart for planning changes that will 'bulldoze concerns of communities'
574 Comments
Chris Packham warns countryside at risk from government's housebuilding targets
59 Comments
Angela Rayner declares war on NIMBYs as councils ordered to build 1.5 million homes
219 Comments
Angela Rayner just made a mistake so jaw dropping it shows Labour are taking us for fools
559 Comments
Angela Rayner approves demolition of Oxford Street store as she reverses Tory decision
146 Comments
The medieval UK city set to be transformed in ￡2 billion project
5 Comments
Huge ￡10m mega-project at a standstill in major UK city as furious locals rebel
6 Comments
Angela Rayner in 'car crash interview' as she completely fumbles immigration question
1162 Comments
Labour slammed for prioritising union pay rises over public safety as criminals rejoice
265 Comments
Keir Starmer can show he's serious about housing crisis by reforming this key contract
Comments
The UK city set for huge transformation thanks to incredible ￡19m revamp
5 Comments
Trending
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
"They might be previously developed sites, disused car parks, abandoned petrol stations. They might just be really poorly performing scrub land in certain circumstances.
"And what we're saying is there's got to be a smarter and more strategic way to look at green belt release.
"It happens very often. It's happened for the past 14 years but in a haphazard way... we want a smarter and more strategic way to release the right parts of the green belt where that is required to meet local housing need."