Red tape reduced on surplus land sales

7 Aug 03
Local authorities are being given more encouragement to sell off surplus land for affordable housing.

08 August 2003

Local authorities are being given more encouragement to sell off surplus land for affordable housing.

Providing they do not sell plots at more than £2m below their market value, councils can dispose of them without government permission, it was announced this week.

Housing and planning minister Keith Hill said the new rules, which came into force on August 4, should prevent councils from getting bogged down in red tape when land is urgently required for housing or economic development.

A spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said it did not expect councils to start selling land 'willy-nilly'. He added: 'It means they can get the ball rolling more quickly and take decisions that are for the benefit of their area.'

Government permission will continue to be required if the difference between the disposal price and its market value exceeds £2m.

Councils, meanwhile, will also be covered by a new regulation requiring public sector landowners to offer surplus land to English Partnerships before disposing of it on the open market.

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