07 December 2007
Local authorities that back government plans to increase house building will receive £732m to fund better community services over the next three years.
The allocations to councils in designated growth areas across England, announced on December 4, represent a £232m increase on the £500m that had already been promised by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Speaking at the Future Homes 2007 conference in London, housing minister Yvette Cooper said the government wished to reward authorities that were doing the most to support the drive for 3 million extra homes by 2020.
Further funds will be raised through a new community infrastructure levy proposed in the Planning Bill, published last week.
Cooper told delegates she was alarmed to discover that, at present, 86% of planning applications approved by councils do not involve developers making any contribution to services.
Although better transport was a priority, she did not want other services forgotten.
'It's about community and leisure facilities and good quality public spaces that are critical to making communities sustainable for the future,' she added.
Cooper repeated her call for Britain to lead the world in building greener homes.
A total of 170 organisations, including 30 house builders, have so far signed up to a government charter that calls for all new housing to emit zero carbon by 2016.
Earlier, Paul King, chief executive of the UK Green Building Council, said councils should become 'ambassadors for sustainable development' and assist smaller builders that are less familiar with the zero-carbon agenda.
'We're not going to hit any of these targets if there is a cold war going on between local authorities and developers,' he said.
The DCLG also revealed this week that councils will receive at least £150m over three years to prevent and reduce homelessness. It is the first time that a three-year settlement has been announced for such schemes.
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