Don't bottle planning reforms, ex-Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick urges PM

Recently sacked Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has "strongly" urged the prime minister not to "bottle" planning reforms to enable more house building.

Sources have told the BBC the changes - which would help meet a pledge to build 300,000 new homes - are being paused amid a backlash among Conservative MPs.

Mr Jenrick's successor Michael Gove is said to want to address the concerns.

But Mr Jenrick told the BBC's Newscast a government with a big majority must tackle difficult issues.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said it remained "committed" to meeting its housing targets.

The government has pledged to build 300,000 new homes a year. To achieve that, a blueprint published last summer said the current regime - where local planning officials assess applications case-by-case - should replaced with new rules based on zones.

Councils would have to classify all land in their area as "protected", for "renewal", or for "growth", which ministers argued would speed up developments.

In addition, each council would have to plan for a share of homes from the government's annual house building target for England.

Several Conservative MPs, concerned about the size and nature of potential developments in their constituencies, have spoken out against the plans, which are also opposed by Labour.

In June, the Conservatives lost the previously safe seat of Chesham and Amersham to the Liberal Democrats in a by-election, in part due to concerns over more house building in the area.

In September, government sources told the BBC they were pausing the reforms, following the cabinet reshuffle in which Mr Jenrick was sacked.

But Mr Jenrick told Newscast ministers should not "bottle" making the changes.

"Housing is one of those areas where you can make a huge difference, helping people onto the housing ladder, reducing the cost of living, increasing productivity, helping small businesses," Mr Jenrick said.

"It cuts across all of the government's priorities, so I strongly, strongly urge the prime minister to stick with it."

Mr Jenrick also said a government with an 80-strong majority in the House of Commons was in an "incredibly fortunate" position and should be trying to tackle difficult questions.

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said: "We remain committed to continuing our progress towards our target of 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s.

"We are currently reviewing departmental programmes and we will come forward with our proposals for reform of the planning system in due course."