The Government has issued a Written Ministerial Statement setting out the conclusion to the Housing Standards Review. DCLG have provided the following statement;
“As previously notified to you, the objective of the Review has been to rationalise the many technical standards applied to new housing by local planning authorities, to remove duplication and ensure they are fit for purpose. The Code was included as part of the Review.
The WMS sets out a new policy on the application of technical housing standards, that applies immediately to all local planning authorities and qualifying bodies. This has a direct effect on the application of existing Code policies in all types of plans, and the setting of new Code policies in all of plans.
In respect of cases such as where developments are legally contracted to apply a Code policy (eg affordable housing funded through the National Affordable Housing Programme 2015-18) , or where a case has been granted permission subject to Code condition stipulating discharge of a Code level, legacy arrangements will apply. This means that, should they choose to, and the assessments are still needed, Assessors can continue administering the assessments for such cases, under the auspices of the current BRE contractual agreement with the Government, and the RDL and Stroma licensee arrangements. A special contractual agreement is being finalised (with BRE and licensees) to underpin this arrangement, and will remain in place until legacy cases come to an end”.