<p><span>The housing secretary Robert Jenrick has announced planning reforms which he says will “bring Britain’s planning system into the 21^st century” as part of the government's plan “to get the country building”.</span></p> <p><span>Under the plans, revealed ahead of the government’s planning white paper due in the spring, local authorities will be encouraged to build “upwards and above and around stations” to revitalise high streets and “take a more innovative approach to home building”.</span></p> <p><span>The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will consult on a new permitted development right to allow housebuilders to swiftly demolish vacant commercial, industrial and residential buildings and replace them with homes.</span></p> <p><span>And in </span><span>April,</span><span> MHCLG will launch a register of brownfield sites, pinpointing unused land. </span><span>This follows</span><span> plans announced in yesterday’s Budget to make £400 million available for </span><span>mayoral combined authorities and local areas to build on brownfield land.</span></p> <p><span>All councils will need to have up-to-date local plans in place by December 2023, </span><span>or face government intervention. MHCLG said it would review how councils determine housing need in their area “and incentivise those that deliver on those numbers”. </span></p> <p><span>And MHCLG will offer more assistance for those wishing to build their own homes and …