BUSINESS FIRST INNER 39-82:Layout 1 9/6/08 16:54 Page 56
56 PROPERTY
THE NORTH-SOUTH,
BROWN-GREEN DIVIDE
Despite the fact that there is increasingly more
think of calling it something different, that the public can
brownfield land becoming available for development
understand,” added Charles Wiggins, of Cliveden Properties.
up north than there is in the south, there is little point
There was overwhelming support for lobbying the Government to
in resisting the government’s call for half a million
change the tax system to offer incentives to get owners of
brownfield sites to release more of them to the building sector.
homes to be built in the south east by 2020 because
The planning process also came in for some criticism. Peter
demand for housing will follow economic strength.
Errington, from the House Builders Federation said, “The process is
now more complicated than ever and councillors in the South who
And that can only mean that there will be greater pressure than ever lack the knowledge to make judgements on planning applications
to build on greenfield sites. are being far more vocal than ever about developments in
their area.”
Participants at a round table hosted by Worthing-based Land and
Brand New Homes identified a host of issues that need addressing if While defending his own record of training new councillors in the
the government’s demands are to be met in a way that is complexities of the planning process, James Appleton of the
sympathetic to the land and to the needs of the people. Worthing Council Planning Department acknowledged more
More imagination from developers and planners was called for in education was needed so that councillors could engage with
order to bring a sense of community to developments. Bob Hilder, developers more. He added, “There is now a lack of family homes
Land Director of Land and Brand New Homes, called for developers due the ever increasing complexity of planning laws and the
to bring back village greens, and Melina Swan, the United Nations imposition by the Government of more eco housing on developers.”
Commissioner for Real Estate, said the Government needs to follow
the lead of other European countries in addressing the ever
Heather Hilder, managing director of Land and Brand New Homes,
increasing ageing population to ensure purpose-built
who was chairing the round table, questioned what sort of houses
accommodation is included in village developments to keep
the industry should actually be building.
people in their own environments.
“People don’t want town houses; I cannot remember the last time I
But you can only kick against market forces for so long.
built a detached house. It all seems to be 2 bedroom flats that the
“The problem is that house builders, particular at this time of
market is calling for,” commented Charles Posgate, managing
uncertainty and very slow house sales, want to build houses that
director of Devine Homes. Others in the room commented that
they can sell quickly, not speculate on areas with no likely sales,”
underlying this whole debate was the absence of a “grand vision”
commented James Ollerenshaw from the IOD.
for what sort of society we should look forward to and that there was
a “lack of imagination from Government” which increases the gap
Participants acknowledged there is probably more brownfield land
between the people and developers.
out there to build on but there is a great deal of uncertainty over
what constitutes a brownfield site, particularly with the public when it
And inevitably, the appalling state of the road system in the south
comes to scrutinising planning applications.
east, particularly along the south coast, came in for some strong
criticism, with delegates questioning how on earth more housing
“There is a need to define a brownfield site more clearly and
could be fitted into a region already choking on traffic, particularly
educate the public about it. Perhaps the Government should even
along the A27.
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84