New housing development near train stations are set to receive a default “yes” from planners.

The government has announced housebuilding near well-connected train stations will receive the green light if they meet certain rules, to ensure more homes are built.

Councils in England will also now be required to tell the government when they intend to reject new housing developments over a certain size, with the housing secretary able to have the final say on whether they should go ahead.

These changes will be introduced alongside proposals to streamline the statutory consultee process, further saving developers time and money.

It also builds on work already underway following the launch of Platform4, a new property company set to unlock 40,000 homes on brownfield land near railway stations, with four sites already earmarked, including Newcastle Forth Goods Yard and Manchester Mayfield - supporting the governments wider plan for boosting productivity, growth and living standards across the north

Housing secretary, Steve Reed, said: “I promised we’d get Britain building and that’s exactly what we are doing. But it has to be the right homes in the right places and nearby transport links are a vital part of that.

“We’re making it easier to build well-connected and high-quality homes, using stronger powers to speed things up if councils drag their feet, and proposing to streamline the consultation process to cut back delays.

“This is about action: spades in the ground, breathing new life into communities, and families finally getting the homes they need.”

Planning reforms to give greater certainty and strength for development around well-connected rail stations, including trains and trams, will be proposed through a new pro-growth and rules-based National Planning Policy Framework, which will be consulted on later this year. 

Recognising the significant benefits for jobs and growth that can be unlocked by building around train stations, these rules will extend to land within the Green Belt, continuing efforts to ensure that a designation designed in the middle of the last century is updated to work today.

The default “yes” will also apply equally across all local authorities, so that these benefits are seized across the country. The proposals will also include minimum housing density standards for these sites, expected to be exceeded in many cases, to make the most of sustainable growth opportunities for local housing, jobs, and businesses.

Measures will also require councils to inform government when they’re inclined to block applications of 150 homes or more so ministers can decide whether to step in and make the decision instead, making sure that good housing projects don’t get lost. 

Particular attention will be paid to those applications where a planning committee intends to refuse it contrary to the advice of planning officers.

Applications called in by ministers will also be sped up through the removal of the mandatory requirement for inquiries, with the option to consider matters through written representations before reaching a decision where appropriate.  

Alongside this, the package will drive down the number of applications considered by some statutory consultees by up to 40%, saving time, energy, and money. It will also consult on proposals to remove Sport England, The Gardens Trust and Theatres Trust from the list of organisations that have to be consulted by law.

The housing secretary is expected to make further announcements to speed up housebuilding across the country before the end of the year.

Richard Bonner, managing director for buildings and places at AtkinsRéalis, said: “The delivery of new homes is more than just new buildings: it’s an opportunity to build better places and deliver opportunities to more people around the country.

“Today’s announcement recognises the importance of integrating new homes with the right infrastructure and transport links to create better access to work and education. This type of approach builds thriving communities and is at the heart of place-led growth for the country.

“Proposals to streamline processes should help to build more homes, faster, providing greater confidence for investors and developers, and more confidence for house builders to scale up and deliver.”