Housebuilding near well-connected train stations is set to become easier in England, as new government rules aim to give developments a default “yes” if they meet specified criteria. The move is intended to accelerate the delivery of high-quality, affordable homes in key towns and cities, helping commuters save time and expanding access to housing.

The changes are expected to benefit thousands of working families and commuters, allowing them to live closer to transport hubs and access a wider range of employment and educational opportunities. Councils will now be required to notify the government when they plan to reject large-scale housing developments, giving the Housing Secretary the power to make the final decision.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:

“I promised we’d get Britain building and that’s exactly what we are doing. But it has to be the right homes in the right places and nearby transport links are a vital part of that. We’re making it easier to build well-connected and high-quality homes, using stronger powers to speed things up if councils drag their feet, and proposing to streamline the consultation process to cut back delays. This is about action: spades in the ground, breathing new life into communities, and families finally getting the homes they need.”

The government’s plan includes streamlining the statutory consultee process, which should save developers both time and money and allow construction to start more quickly. These reforms support the target of building 1.5 million homes during this Parliament, part of a broader effort to boost productivity, economic growth, and living standards.

Platform4, a newly launched property company, is expected to contribute significantly to these goals by unlocking 40,000 homes on brownfield sites near railway stations. Four locations have already been identified, including Newcastle Forth Goods Yard and Manchester Mayfield, marking a step toward revitalising urban areas and maximising land use near transport links.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves described the measures as a decisive end to delays in housing delivery. She said:

“We’re ending years of dither and delay by green lighting affordable new homes for working people. This is another demonstration that our Plan for Change is getting spades in the ground faster, connecting people with jobs and opportunities closer to where they live, and boosting towns and cities across the country,”

The reforms will also propose updates to the National Planning Policy Framework, ensuring that planning rules encourage growth around trains and trams while making the system more predictable. The new rules could even extend to some Green Belt land, reflecting efforts to modernise a designation created decades ago. Minimum housing density standards will be set for these sites, often exceeded, to make the most of sustainable development opportunities for homes, jobs, and local businesses.

Additional measures will give ministers the authority to intervene in applications of 150 homes or more if councils signal their intention to block them, particularly when planning committees act against professional advice. The process will be accelerated by removing mandatory inquiries in certain cases, with written representations allowed where appropriate. Meanwhile, the number of statutory consultees involved in planning decisions could be reduced by up to 40%, cutting delays and administrative costs, including potential changes to the roles of Sport England, The Gardens Trust, and Theatres Trust.

The government has signalled that further announcements on speeding up housebuilding are expected before the end of the year, reinforcing its commitment to what it describes as the largest era of housing construction in modern British history.

Image: Gov.uk