Eddie Richards writes for The Times, with input from our Planning team, on the need to build warehouses as well as new homes
Now that we have a new government, with a clear mandate for change, planning reform sits at the top of the agenda – welcome news for many in the Real Estate sector.
Eddie Richards, Partner in our Real Estate team, writes an article for The Times - fed into by Claire Fallows, Partner and Head of Planning - arguing that as the UK aims to meet certain housebuilding targets, it must not forget the importance of also investing in infrastructure, particularly warehouses.
He explains that "the planning system could be dismantled and rebuilt, piece by piece. But as previous administrations have found to their cost, a complete demolition job is complex, divisive and eats time and resource. The government must focus on what matters most".
Logistics and residential development come hand in hand. Logistics developments, like housing, can face opposition from local communities due to concerns over traffic and noise. But plans for growth must accommodate both, and make it easier to integrate the two. Land must be safeguarded for logistics use to ensure that new housing is equipped to meet the demands of the modern-day occupier.
"Changes to housing policy will be driven through swiftly. But the government needs to find time to listen to those in logistics and other key infrastructure sectors to build a national planning policy framework to underpin growth. A number of logistics industry bodies are also now making the case for a dedicated minister for logistics, owing to the importance to the country in terms of revenue, job creation and growth. It will be interesting to see if that happens.
Read the full article in The Times here (subscription required).
