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Saturday 22 September 2018

A solution to our housing problems: share the increases in the value of land with local communities

There is more and more interest in the idea of any rise in the value of land (something the landowner has normally not earned) should be enjoyed by the wider community :
Futures Forum: Land value tax > A growing number of thinktanks and politicians support imposing a tax that would take a slice of rising land values.
Futures Forum: A solution to our housing problems: land value capture
Futures Forum: Council tax should be replaced by a land value tax
Futures Forum: Land Value Uplift Tax >>> "Public investment on or near a piece of land significantly increases its value wherever you are."

But the idea has been around for some time:
Futures Forum: Henry George and the land-value tax

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee is now taking an interest:

Increases in land value should be shared with local communities, say MPs

13 September 2018



Extra funding for new local infrastructure and affordable housing could be raised by wide-ranging reforms to how the increase in value of land resulting from public policy decisions is captured, the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has concluded.

Significant increases in land value

Government statistics show that agricultural land, which is granted planning permission for residential use, would, on average, increase in value from £21,000 per hectare to £1.95 million per hectare. The report published today on land value capture makes the case for local authorities and central government to capture a ‘significant proportion’ of this uplift in value to invest in new infrastructure and public services.

Capturing land value

The Committee argues that there is scope for raising additional revenue from reforms to existing taxes and charges, consideration of new mechanisms for land value capture, and reform of the way local authorities can compulsory purchase land.

Reform of the Land Compensation Act 1961

The Committee also highlights the success of the first generations of New Towns, which acquired land at, or near to, existing use value, and captured uplifts in land value to invest in new infrastructure. It calls for reform of such powers – through amendment of the Land Compensation Act 1961 – which would lead to a ‘much-needed’ boost to housebuilding

Among the main recommendations are:

  • Reform of the Land Compensation Act 1961, to give local authorities the power to purchase land at a fairer price. This reform – which has growing political support – would provide a powerful tool for local authorities to build a new generation of New Towns, as well as extensions to, or significant developments within, existing settlements.
  • Further simplification of the CPO process, to make it faster and less expensive for local authorities, whilst not losing safeguards for those affected.
  • Reform of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to remove complexity and the extensive range of exemptions that currently limit its effectiveness.
  • More resources for local authorities to ensure they are able to negotiate robustly with developers to secure the appropriate level of planning obligations.
  • Securing the maximum value for new infrastructure and public services from public land put forward from residential development, with much to be learned from Germany and the Netherlands in this respect.

Land value capture is fundamentally about fairness and necessity

Clive Betts MP, Chair of the Committee, said:
"Land value capture is fundamentally about fairness and necessity.
Fairness, because the current system allows landowners, through no effort of their own, to make multi-million pound profits from the substantial increases in land value that arise from public policy decisions, such as the granting of planning permission. As these increases are significantly created by the actions of the State, it is right that a significant proportion of this should be shared with the local community.
Necessity, because if the Government is to meet the challenge of providing enough new homes over the coming years, then they will also need to find the funds for improving the surrounding infrastructure.
Our proposed package of reforms to taxes and charges will ensure a fair proportion of the increase in value arising from public policy decisions can be used by national and local government to invest in new infrastructure and public services.
In particular, there is a growing consensus that the Land Compensation Act 1961 requires reform. The present right of landowners to receive ‘hope value’ is distorting land prices, encouraging land speculation and reducing revenues that could be used for affordable housing, infrastructure and local services.
Ensuring local authorities have the power to compulsorily purchase land at a fairer price will provide a powerful incentive to build a new generation of New Towns and the extra homes that we so desperately need."
Increases in land value should be shared with local communities, say MPs - News from Parliament - UK Parliament

With comment from the Public Sector Executive website


planning and housing

Increases in land value is ‘fundamentally about fairness’ and should benefit local communities, say MPs


14.09.18

Significant increases in the value of land resulting from public policy decisions should be shared with local communities say MPs. The report from the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has looked at how this land value increase can be captured to generate extra funding for local infrastructure and affordable housing.

According to government statistics, agricultural land which is granted planning permission for residential use would increase, on average, from £21,000 per hectare to £1.95m per hectare.

The Land Value Capture report published yesterday argues that local authorities and central government should capture a “significant proportion” of this uplift in value so they can reinvest into local communities.

The report recommends reform of the Land Compensation Act 1961 which they say would lead to a “much-needed” boost in housebuilding.

Chair of the committee Clive Betts said: “Land value capture is fundamentally about fairness and necessity. Fairness, because the current system allows landowners, through no effort of their own, to make multi-million-pound profits from the substantial increases in land value that arise from public policy decisions, such as the granting of planning permission. As these increases are significantly created by the actions of the state, it is right that a significant proportion of this should be shared with the local community.”

The committee argues that there is scope for raising additional revenue from reforms to taxes and charges, new mechanisms of land value capture and reform of the way local authorities can buy land.

In response to the report, Local Government Association’s Housing spokesman Cllr Martin Tett said: “We have long–called for reforms to land compensation and compulsory purchase laws and are pleased that the committee has called for the government to implement several of our recommendations.

“We are also pleased the committee recommends that government provides extra support to councils, through the LGA, to help give local authorities a strong hand in negotiations with developers. Government action on these recommendations would have a significant impact in building more homes with the right infrastructures and places that people want to live and work.”

Betts added: “If the government is to meet the challenge of providing enough new homes over the coming years, then they will also need to find the funds for improving the surrounding infrastructure. Our proposed package of reforms to taxes and charges will ensure a fair proportion of the increase in value arising from public policy decisions can be used by national and local government to invest in new infrastructure and public services.”


Increases in land value is ‘fundamentally about fairness’ and should benefit local communities, say MPs - Public Sector Exectutive
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