Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to review planning regulations as part of a wide-ranging drive to tackle the nation's housing crisis.
Speaking in Manchester, Johnson made a series of promises to tackle housing, fund towns and devolve powers, as well as support a new cross-Pennine rail route between the City and Leeds. Nevertheless he said it would be up to local authorities to agree the exact proposals.
He said that "one of the biggest divides in our country is between those who can afford their own home and those who cannot".
Commenting on the failures of previous governments to fix this, Johnson added that he intends to review everything, including:
One hundred towns will receive £3.6 billion in funds as part of a drive for devolution, which would start "answering the pleas of some of our left-behind towns". The fund also aims to improve transport and broadband connectivity while boosting social and cultural infrastructure.
The Prime Minister also pledged to "level up" powers to councils so people can benefit from the kind of local government structures seen in London and Manchester.
"We are going to give more communities a greater say over changes to transport, housing, public services and infrastructure that will benefit their areas and drive local growth".
The Local Government Association (LGA) welcomed the announcement, but warned councils still face a funding gap of £8 billion by 2025. LGA Chariman James Jamieson said that "it recognises that democratically elected local councils have a key role to play in delivering better transport links, digital connectivity, housing, and all the important infrastructure like parks and libraries that creates strong communities and economies".
"The Prime Minister has rightly acknowledged the need to bring decision-making closer to local people. It is vital that communities in all parts of the country have access to the benefits of devolution".
The County Councils Network (CCN) also welcomed Johnson's drive for devolving powers and called on ministers to publish a Common Devolution Framework.
CCN devolution spokesman Martin Hill added "counties' ambition for genuinely devolved powers and fresh resource still burns brightly and if the shackles are taken off then we have much more to offer the new government in helping solve some of its biggest domestic issues, not least in housing, care and economic growth".
"The major sticking point for many counties under the previous Government was the requirement for a metro mayor in return for a full suite of devolved powers. While this model can work in large cities and urban areas, there is little evidence it is suitable for large and diverse county areas, with rural residents showing little appetite for county mayors".
