Responding to draft analysis of the Letwin review into housebuilding, Cllr John Fuller, Chairman of the Districts’ Council Network, said:

“The draft analysis from the Letwin review shows there is now a pressing need to rebalance the negotiating power between developers and councils following land allocation in favour of the planning and housing authorities so that landowners can be forced to make good on promises they make when applying for planning allocations or permissions.

“If councils are to manage local housing markets they need tools like speedy compulsory purchase orders so that development land can be built out rather than be held as a speculative asset.”

ENDS

District Councils’ Network media office, 020 7664 3333