I will hold developers' feet to the fire to get homes built

FATCAT developers who fail to build the homes they promise are to have their land seized or be fined.

- LIZZY BUCHAN

The measure is one of several the government has planned to boost housebuilding progress, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner told us.

Others put forward in a government Planning Reform working paper published today include giving councils new powers to take control of development projects left gathering dust.

Developers who leave sites unfinished for years or get planning permission just to sell the land on "land bankers" - will also be forced to pay hefty fines to local authorities.

These will be calculated per unbuilt home and based on the council tax that would have been paid.

And offenders are to be blocked from getting future planning permissions.

Crisis

For the first time, housebuilders will also have to commit to deadlines before they get planning permission, and they will have to keep town halls updated each year on their progress.

A consultation on the proposals is also out today. Ms Rayner has vowed to put pressure on developers to get homes built, as the government battles to solve the long-term housing crisis.