Give tax breaks to brownfield site investors – developers

A planning system overhaul to support brownfield urban regeneration has been urged by two leading developers.  

British Land and Landsec have published a white paper that seeks to streamline a planning system they feel currently overlooks mixed-use urban development opportunities in favour of greenfield sites. 

More growth, more homes, more jobs – How to reform the planning system to unlock urban regeneration, does not require legislative change or significant public funding, the firms claim.  

Instead, it lists a series of recommendations to reform a planning system that is ‘layered in complexity’, burdensome, and “hindering economic growth” in towns and cities. 

The pair added development on brownfield land is sorely needed to build “communities for future generations”, and yet development is slowed by “shortcomings” in the current system. 

It comes amid a push for the construction industry to deliver around 300,000 new homes a year to address housing shortages and population growth.     

British Land and Landsec said the plans also satisfy the interests of both the private and public sectors.  

The proposals  

• Redefine brownfield, urban regeneration as a new planning category 
• Resource the planning system more effectively 
• Reduce complexity and duplication 
• A specialist planning resource for large, complex sites 
• Decision making proportionate to the ‘level and impact plans are felt’ 
• See the challenges and opportunities of urban regeneration 
• Create tax incentives to unlock investment in brownfield land 
• Put communities at the heart of urban spaces 
• Find new ways of working with progressive authorities 

“There is political consensus in the need to prioritise urban regeneration over greenfield development,” said Simon Carter, CEO of British Land. “The ideas we are recommending today would help to drive our country’s growth by rejuvenating our great cities and towns and can be put into place quickly and easily.” 

Mark Allan, CEO of Landsec, added: “Urban, brownfield regeneration has the potential to unlock growth and prosperity for cities across the UK. However, the current planning system acts as a significant brake to this growth.  

“We believe that by making some necessary but simple changes to the existing planning regime, we can unlock this opportunity – for the benefit of the UK, for the economy and importantly for the communities we build for.” 

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