Second supplementary memorandum by the
Department for Communities and Local Government
HOUSEBUILDING ON SURPLUS PUBLIC SECTOR LAND
When I appeared before the committee on 12 December
I was asked to write to you with further background to the Chancellor's
PBR announcement of the ambition to see 130,000 homes built on
surplus public sector land over the decade to 2016.
The 130,000 homes target in the Chancellor's
PBR statement (which replaced a previous target of 100,000 homes
announced in the 2006 Budget) is based on an analysis of potential
new homes on surplus public sector sites where development is
in train and of further sites identified as having residential
development potential using data from the Register of Surplus
Public Sector Land (The Register) and the most recent compiled
National Land Use Database of Previously Developed Land (NLUD-PDL).
The Register, established and managed by English
Partnerships, lists sites owned by central government departments
and agencies which are surplus to operational requirements. Government
departments and their sponsored bodies are required under Government
Accounting to add sites identified as surplus to the Register
and allow 40 working days to test other public interest before
these sites can go on the open market. The Register includes both
brownfield and greenfield land. From an analysis of the Register
of those sites which are identified as having potential for residential
development, we estimate that there is the potential to deliver
up to 25,000 new homes on this land (approximately 14% of the
total site area on the Register).
In contrast NLUD-PDL covers solely brownfield
sites and holds information about previously developed, vacant
and derelict land and buildings. It includes local authority land
and land in other public ownership as well as privately owned
land. NLUD-PDL statistics are compiled on the basis of annual
voluntary returns from local authorities. English Partnerships
administers the data collection of NLUD-PDL. Based on the NLUD-PDL
2005 return, we believe about 34,000 further homes could be built
on public sector land, over and above that included on the Register.
The majority of these estimated 59,000 new homes
which can be delivered over the next ten years will be on brownfield
land already declared surplus to requirements and identified as
such on the Register and NLUD-PDL return. The South East and South
West offer the greatest potential for housing development. Where
English Partnerships is taking forward sites it will consider
carefully the development potential of all the sites to assess
their suitability for housing and other development. As part of
this process English Partnerships will carry out consultations
with local community groups, local planning authorities and other
interested bodies about the types of development being considered.
Any proposals for new housing development will require planning
permission and need to meet the requirements of the development
plan process.
The balance of the 130,000 figure—some
71,000 homes—comprises new homes as part of committed developments
on surplus land owned by major public sector landowners, for example
the Defence Estates Project MoDel, and sites already acquired
by English Partnerships. These sites include the Hospital Sites
Portfolio of 96 sites acquired in April 2005 from the Department
of Health, and Oakington, a former Defence Estates site.
You asked whether the 130,000 figure related
exclusively to brownfleld sites. It will be clear from what I
have said that it relates to both brownfield and greenfield land,
although we would expect the great majority of the homes to be
on brownfield land.
You also mentioned at the end of the session
that you might ask me for an update of the number of Registered
Social Landlord Social HomeBuy sales and applications near the
end of the inquiry, which I understand is likely to be in about
two to three months time. I would of course be happy to provide
this information on request.
Andrew Wells
15 January 2007
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