ALL new streets will be lined with trees under fresh plans to create more beautiful neighbourhoods in future.
As part of proposals from Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick, he wants all councils to set up their own design codes, so local people can have more of a say in what their area looks like.
A pillar of this will be demands for all new streets to be lined with trees, to help improve biodiversity and access to nature.
Beauty and what an area looks like will be put at the heart of housing policy in future, as well as ensuring that good design features in planning.
The word “beauty” will be specifically included in planning rules for the first time since the system was created in 1947.
22 local areas have signed up for the proposals so far – from Greater Manchester and Cheshire, to Surrey and Somerset.
The move will go towards the Tory manifesto commitment to plant 30 million trees by 2025 and give locals more say in developments being built in their own backyards.
The Government is also relaunching the Community Housing Fund, making £4 million available to help Community Land Trusts bid for funds to support them to prepare bids for the £11.5bn Affordable Homes Programme.
Mr Jenrick said today: “We should aspire to pass on our heritage to our successors, not depleted but enhanced.
“In order to do that, we need to bring about a profound and lasting change in the buildings that we build.
“Instead of developers forcing plans on locals, they will need to adapt to proposals from local people, ensuring that current and new residents alike will benefit from beautiful homes in well-designed neighbourhoods.”
It follows recent research from think tank Policy Exchange, which found more than half percent of people preferred new homes be built as ‘traditional terraces on tree-lined streets’ – compared with just a quarter who want modern styles or a housing estate.
Ben Southwood, Head of Housing at Policy Exchange, said last night: “Policy Exchange’s polling has found that 52 percent of people think local communities should have most say in how new homes are designed and built, but that only 3 percent think local communities have most say at the moment.
“Today’s announcement suggests that the Government takes this seriously, and aims to give control over development to the local communities affected by it.”
