Brownfield land should be open to all development

By Liza Helps, Property Editor, Logistics Matters

THE BPF made its announcement as part of its response to the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities consultation on a presumption in favour of residential development on brownfield land.

BPF Assistant Director, Planning and Development Sam Bensted, said: “We fully support the Government’s move to increase housebuilding on brownfield sites and the introduction of a ‘presumption in favour’ of development aligns with the BPF’s call in our General Election Manifesto for a separate planning category to unlock complex urban regeneration projects.

“While the proposals are a good start, Government should go further still and extend the presumption in favour to commercial and mixed-use development. This would enable homes, jobs, and vital infrastructure to be delivered side-by-side on urban sites, creating sustainable communities and supporting economic growth.

“The policy should be adopted more widely for urban areas across the UK - beyond the 20 towns and cities identified – to further support urban regeneration and growth in all appropriate locations.”

There is a growing feeling that in the run up to the General Election that the needs of business will take second place - if any place at all - to that of more headline grabbing issues such as the lack of housing in the UK.

Yesterday Logistics Matters reported that the RTPI, while supporting  the move to build more homes on brownfield land, did not want this to go forward at the expense of commercial development.