Local planners can take advantage of legislation brought in last month allowing them to set up a register of brownfield land in their areas and use it as the basis for awarding Permission in Principle (PiP) to selected sites.
According to Ian Mercer, partner and head of development at Bruton Knowles in Birmingham, the register should reduce the time and cost of obtaining outline permission for a development and help accelerate new home delivery by allowing planning authorities to grant PiP for housing development on previously developed land, while encouraging housebuilders to identify new sites for housing.
Furthermore, those using brownfield sites for new housing schemes will be able to bid for a grant from the Government’s £3 billion Home Builders Fund and the additional £1.2 billion fund earmarked for Starter Homes on brownfield sites.
Ian said: “There are clear advantages over the current planning application process, which asks developers to provide substantial amounts of information up-front, even as part of an application for outline planning permission.
“This meant developers would often have to expend significant time and cost prior to achieving certainty that any development will be able to go ahead in principle.
“Permission in principle offers an alternative route for providing early certainty on the in-principle matters – use, location and amount of development.
“The brownfield register should allow landowners to get some certainty without spending tens of thousands of pounds.”
Bruton Knowles has consistently supported all government initiatives to ensure derelict industrial and commercial land is developed in order to reduce pressure on the green belt.
But the big drawback with brownfield sites is the work required to bring them up to suitable condition for development to begin – typically demolition work on remaining structures or even more problematical contaminated ground.
“The fundamental misconception is that every piece of abandoned or derelict industrial land is ‘shovel ready’ for new housing,” said Ian.
“While brownfield land with planning permission for housing can generally be bought more cheaply, sites have been slow coming forward as they often need expensive remedial works before they are ready for the bulldozers.
“Further guidance will follow next month when statutory guidance for local authorities will be available, explaining the role of brownfield registers and PiP in more detail.
“In the meantime, those landowners and developers thinking of swooping on derelict industrial or commercial land should talk to professional advisors.”
For help with all your property matters contact Ian Mercer on 0121 200 1100 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.