Housing secretary tells Tory conference he wants communities to 鈥榯ake back control鈥� but gives nothing away on reforms
New housing secretary Michael Gove failed to address reports he has demanded a complete rethink on planning reforms in a keynote address to the Conservative Party conference which did not mention planning at all and mentioned housing only once.
In a speech that appeared to confirm speculation that Gove sees the levelling up agenda as his priority above addressing the housing crisis, he said he saw his task as 鈥渁llowing communities to take back control of their futures and creating greener and more beautiful places to live鈥�.
However, his discussion of housing and development took up little over 100 words of a 1,300-word speech mainly focused on setting out his vision of what Boris Johnson鈥檚 鈥榣evelling up鈥� slogan might mean.
Gove said he wanted levelling up to deliver strengthened local leadership, an increase in living standards and improved public services in more deprived areas, and people given the 鈥渘ecessary鈥� resources to restore local pride.
On housing, Gove said the government will invest in urban regeneration to put new homes on 鈥渘eglected brownfield sites鈥�, while at the same time 鈥渉elping more of those who currently rent to own their own homes鈥�.
He did not mention the planning system or the controversial planning white paper, on which the government is thought likely to perform a significant U-turn. However, his reference to 鈥渁llowing communities to take back control of their futures鈥�, is likely to be read as a hint the more centralising proposals in the white paper 鈥� such as the removal of the ability to stop individual applications in growth areas from being approved, or the imposition of mandatory local housing targets 鈥� will not be carried forward.
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