Barratt Developments' ex-chief David Pretty: Sell green belt land for housing

Barratt Developments’ ex-chief David Pretty has launched a controversial set of proposals to the government to help first-time buyers get on the propprty ladder.

They include the government selling off land cheap to housebuilders who can pass on the reduction, with safeguards, to first-time buyers.  He also asks that poor quality green belt land be freed up for development.

Pretty who is now chairman of the New Homes’ Marketing Board said: "Most of our housing need can be met from brown belt but we will need some greenfield released and the scruffy bits could be considered for this.”

He believes there should be a short-term amnesty on minor and small-scale planning applications, which make up half of all applications in the system, to free the current logjam.  What’s more, a 12-week fast-track system should be created for planning applications for affordable housing and housing association applications on brownfield sites. “We feel they should get top priority rather than, as at present, no priority,” he says.

He argues the threshholds for stamp duty should be raised and tax incentives offered to help parents subsidise their children’s first house purchase.

“I am  confident the housebuilding industry could respond well and do so much more if it had an efficient, streamlined planning framework within which to operate,” he said.  “Without this, the government’s housing objectives are going to be very hard to achieve.”