Thousands of new homes are set to be built within walking distance of England’s best-connected railway, tram and Underground stations under planning reforms unveiled by the
government.
Ministers say the changes will speed up housing development on underused land around transport hubs, allowing more people to live closer to jobs, schools and essential services while cutting reliance on cars and supporting local economies.
The new rules, introduced on Monday, will give a presumption in favour of housing development within a reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations. They will also establish minimum expectations for the amount of housing that should be delivered in these locations.
The government argues that the reforms will help remove delays that have held back development, while maintaining clear national standards for the quality and design of new homes.
The announcement comes as ministers say they have passed the quarter-way point towards their target of delivering 1.5 million new homes.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said the measures were intended to address the growing affordability crisis while creating communities where people could live closer to where they work and access public services.
“A safe, secure home is the foundation of opportunity,” Rayner said, arguing that too many people were being priced out of the areas where they wanted to live and work.
She said building more homes around transport hubs would also support local businesses and economic growth.
The government’s plans form part of a broader overhaul of England’s planning system, designed to get developments that meet national requirements through the approval process more quickly.
Transport-led growth
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the reforms delivered on a commitment contained in the government’s Better Connected integrated transport strategy to encourage denser development around well-served stations.
The government believes that combining higher-density housing with walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure could create more sustainable neighbourhoods while improving access to employment and services.
Ministers also say the approach could help protect public transport networks by increasing the number of people living within easy reach of stations.
The planning changes are not limited to housing. Councils will also be given greater scope to approve developments that create jobs and provide facilities such as shops, leisure venues, clean-energy infrastructure and food-production sites.
Less bureaucracy for councils
A further element of the reforms is a reduction in blanket consultation requirements, which ministers say have unnecessarily slowed planning decisions.
Local authorities will no longer routinely need approval from public bodies where specialist advice is not required. Instead, expert involvement will be concentrated on applications where it is considered genuinely necessary.
Sport England will retain its role in significant planning cases, while the Gardens Trust and Theatres Trust will continue to be notified about relevant applications.
The government has also stressed that pubs and music venues will remain protected, arguing that such businesses are central to local communities, high streets and employment.
The latest measures follow changes announced last week aimed at supporting farmers and rural businesses, including reforms intended to make it easier to build reservoirs, greenhouses, polytunnels and farm shops.
Together, ministers say the measures represent a major shift towards a faster and more flexible planning system — one designed to put more homes on the ground, attract investment and support economic growth across England.
For communities struggling with high housing costs, however, the central test will be whether the new planning rules translate into homes that people can actually afford, rather than simply more development around Britain’s busiest transport corridors.
