I was deliberating how MHCLG were perhaps going to treat the impact
arising from COVID-19 on councils who are making all efforts
to positively manage their local housing delivery. Whilst the worst of
the pandemic sadly lays ahead in its health and societal impacts, i'm
conscious that the likely tail-off of activities on housing
construction sites up and down the country is going to see the numbers
of net dwellings drop dramatically during Q4 for 2019-20. This will
consequently have a bearing on figures used by MHCLG to determine 2020
Housing Delivery Test performance.
It's probably too early to say, but I hope Government are willing
to consider some leniency towards councils given the circumstances
behind the drop in new-builds is a matter completely out of our hands.
The difference that a few homes which in a normal environment would
have been completed during Q4, but now sit unfinished on mothballed
construction sites could represent the difference between a council
either being subject to the presumption in favour of sustainable
development or not.
Any wider thoughts on the current situation?
