Rayner plans sanctions for councils that block new housing

Angela Rayner is poised to introduce tougher sanctions on councils in England that block local housing developments.

- Phillip Inman

Councils could be forced to approve new housing developments - overturning locally agreed plans - under stricter rules or risk handing over control of their planning departments to Whitehall officials.

Rayner, who has come under pressure this week for adding to her constituency residence and grace-and-favour home in London with the purchase of an £800,000 flat near Brighton, already has considerable powers to overrule councils that block housing developments but is believed to be frustrated with continuing delays in the system.

It is understood that before the end of the year the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will reduce the number of times a council can have planning appeals overturned before sanctions are imposed by central government.

Hundreds of councils are expected to fall foul of the new rules after Rayner established new building targets to achieve the government's aim of 1.5m new homes by the end of the current parliament.

The plan is already behind schedule, according to building industry analysts, after a slow start to the year by the big housebuilding firms.