Out-Law News 1 min. read

Lewis outlines progress towards delivery of Ebbsfleet garden city


Housing and planning minister Brandon Lewis made a statement to the UK parliament on Tuesday, outlining the progress made so far, and the proposed next steps, towards creating a new 15,000-home garden city at Ebbsfleet in Kent.

In December, the government announced the results of its consultation on proposals for an urban development corporation (UDC) to lead development of the garden city. Lewis said in his statement that the government intended to lay before Parliament a statutory instrument establishing the UDC and an order granting it powers, as soon as royal assent had been given for the Deregulation Bill.

Former chairman of the City of London Property Investment Board, Michael Cassidy, who was appointed as chairman designate of the UDC in August, had been "actively engaging with local partners and the major landowners to develop a shared understanding of the work required to drive forward development," Lewis confirmed. The minister said that interviews were already underway for membership of the UDC's board, but that he expected the post of chief executive would "take some months to fill".

Lewis said the government recognised that "there is likely to be a transition period between the establishment of the UDC and the point at which it will be fully resourced to operate as the local planning authority". He said an agreement would be put in place enabling the councils in the Ebbsfleet area to administer planning services for the UDC during this transition. Lewis  confirmed that production of a development framework for the area had begun and that "we are preparing the procurement process for a full master plan which can then be taken forward by the UDC".

In response to questions from members of Parliament, the minister said that levels of affordable housing to be delivered at Ebbsfleet were "a matter for planning authorities", but that Gravesham Borough Council and Dartford Borough Council "are clearly looking to secure a level of 30% of affordable housing". Lewis also confirmed that the government was still committed to providing £200 million of investment to support development at Ebbsfleet, as previously announced in its 2014 Budget and Autumn Statement.

The first phase of housing development in the Ebbsfleet Valley commenced at Castle Hill last October. Commercial property company Land Securities said in a statement on Tuesday that it had exchanged contracts with housebuilder Persimmon Homes for the second phase of development at Castle Hill. Land Securities said it would immediately begin infrastructure work on a 4.2 hectare plot of land and that Persimmon Homes was expected to start the construction of 170 two- to four-bedroom family homes in the autumn.

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