Over half of councils in the North East will receive financial help from the government to speed up plans to for economic development and housing.
Ministers are under intense pressure to deliver on their promises of economic growth and deliver their target of building 1.5 million new homes. But they are hampered in both cases if local authorities do not have plans in place.
Without local planning, economic development lacks a spatial grounding; infrastructure funding is more difficult to secure; developers find it easier to challenge decisions; and housing targets are harder to meet.
Councils are required to complete local plans under two statutory frameworks. One is the legacy system, introduced in 2012, and the second was introduced this year. But many are struggling, even with the legacy system.
Now the government has stepped in with £15.7million to help 82 councils in England which have still not completed plans under the legacy system. 117 councils also want assistance in starting afresh with the new system. The money will be used to employ specialist planners; update evidence; provide consultation; and manage digital data work in transitioning to the new system.
In the North East, North Tyneside is getting £36,585.36, the standard amount for councils still working under the legacy system. County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland are each receiving the standard £108,474.57 for councils under the new system.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said the latest grants were in addition to £29million awarded to planning authorities in 2025 and to those authorities undertaking green belt reviews.
