'Beautiful' housing rule blocked development, claims Angela Rayner

Angela Rayner has supported her choice to eliminate the requirement for "beautiful" buildings in Labour's housing policy, stating that the term was hindering progress and growth.

The requirement was included in the regulations by the former Conservative administration, with the housing secretary at the time, Michael Gove, stating that it would incentivize local communities to back new developments.

However, the person who took over the role and is now the deputy prime minister, expressed disagreement with including such a clause, deeming it unnecessary. He stated that there are already other regulations and protections in place. He added, "I disagree with the notion that I am only capable of constructing unattractive houses, that is simply untrue."

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On Tuesday, Ms Rayner revealed her plans to change the way development is planned, which includes bringing back required housing goals for England that were removed by Mr Gove due to criticism from members of the Conservative party.

She promised to construct 1.5 million additional homes within the coming five years and stated that new regulations will mandate that half of all new housing must be affordable.

On the other hand, she was met with criticism from shadow housing secretary Kemi Badenoch, who claimed that she had approved the construction of numerous unattractive residences.

The potential Tory leader said, "Everyone should have the right to live in nice houses. The fact that the Labour Party doesn't prioritize this reveals their approach to policy-making."

In an interview on BBC Radio 2, Ms Rayner dismissed the criticism, stating that the concept of beauty is subjective. She explained that there are already specific guidelines in place to ensure that developments are appropriate for the surrounding area.

The focus is on preserving the environment and enjoying the outdoors. Ensuring that buildings are secure, cozy, and environmentally friendly is important.

Are there specific guidelines and regulations that developers must adhere to in order to create something visually appealing? The concept of "beauty" is subjective and can vary greatly from person to person.

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The housing minister also argued that homes considered unattractive had already been overlooked in the previous government's strategies.

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However, she expressed: "In my opinion, the use of that language was only hindering progress and obstructing growth, which is why we believe it is too vague."

In reality, the regulations and requirements in place dictate that there must be discussions held and the rules regarding the appearance and safety of buildings must be adhered to. The buildings should match the surrounding area, for example using Yorkshire brick in certain parts of our mill towns.

"It has different meanings depending on the location, therefore there are regulations and safeguards established."