Cllr. Maggie Wright to raise the following question to Cllr. Mike Shirley – Planning, Transformation and ICT Portfolio Holder:
I was pleased to read an article in the July 2025 addition of the Local Government Association magazine, “first” that the Government will impose powers on developers to reclaim sites if they are not built and delivered within specific timeframes. The article goes on to say that Housebuilders will have to commit to delivery timeframes before they get planning permission and must submit annual reports to councils showing their progress, this is under new rules to ensure homes with planning permission are built out.
As a Ward Councillor I am concerned that because Blaby District Council no longer has a five-year land supply and the “Tilted Balance” is being applied when determining planning applications. Developers are taking advantage of this situation leading to excessive growth numbers sitting in the planning system and continually being added to. The cumulative impact of adding the housing numbers from the new Local Plan could potentially mean our villages and district will be saturated by development because of these legacy numbers. Houses are not being built but applications are still being approved.
My question(s) to the portfolio holder is how many houses have been approved within the last 3 years and are sitting in the system but not built?
Will these be added to the number expected to be delivered by the Local Plan or will they be accounted for?
What is your strategy to deal with this situation?
Minutes:
Question to Cllr. Mike Shirley – Planning, Transformation and ICT Portfolio Holder, from Cllr. Maggie Wright.
“I was pleased to read an article in the July 2025 addition of the Local Government Association magazine, “first” that the Government will impose powers on developers to reclaim sites if they are not built and delivered within specific timeframes. The article goes on to say that Housebuilders will have to commit to delivery timeframes before they get planning permission and must submit annual reports to councils showing their progress, this is under new rules to ensure homes with planning permission are built out.
As a Ward Councillor I am concerned that because Blaby District Council no longer has a five-year land supply and the “Tilted Balance” is being applied when determining planning applications. Developers are taking advantage of this situation leading to excessive growth numbers sitting in the planning system and continually being added to. The cumulative impact of adding the housing numbers from the new Local Plan could potentially mean our villages and district will be saturated by development because of these legacy numbers. Houses are not being built but applications are still being approved.
My question(s) to the portfolio holder is how many houses have been approved within the last 3 years and are sitting in the system but not built?“
Cllr. Mike Shirley responded:
“I thank Cllr Wright for her question, and I can advise that the number of dwellings that Blaby District Council have permitted on sites over ten dwellings (large sites) between April 2021-March 2024 is 828. During this same period 1061 houses were completed. This includes planning permissions granted before 2021. April 2024 to March 2025 figures will be available in the coming weeks. For context these are the dwellings which have received either a Full planning permission or a Reserved Matters approval and therefore can legally commence on site.”
Cllr. Maggie Wright asked the following question:
“The average build time for a typical house in Blaby is between 8-12 months and this follows the England average. As Cllr Wright will appreciate there is a period of time from receiving planning permission to a developer starting on site. Will these be added to the number expected to be delivered by the Local Plan or will they be accounted for?”
Cllr. Mike Shirley responded:
“These dwellings will count towards the relevant time period in the emerging Local Plan and are therefore already be accounted for.”
Cllr. Maggie Wright asked the following question:
“What is your strategy to deal with this situation?”
Cllr. Mike Shirley responded:
“There are several factors that contribute to the length of time sites take to be delivered. These include whether sites are developed by a land agent, or an actual house builder, as well considerations regarding preparatory work a developer needs to undertake ahead of commencement on site.
At present the Council, like all Local Planning Authorities, has limited power to ensure that developers commence or complete a development site. The exception being where we instruct a shortening of the development commencement period.? This is an action we have taken on several sites such as Foston Road, Countesthorpe, and will continue to do so where we believe it necessary.
However as Cllr Wright has observed in her question, the Government has proposals included in the forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill which will provide Local Planning Authorities with additional powers to influence developers to build, once permission is granted.”