Leeds Building Society has urged local authorities and developers to expand community consultation in planning developments to help deliver additional homes across the country.
The report, titled ‘The Case for Inclusive Planning,’ was commissioned by Leeds Building Society and authored by Public First.
It highlighted that 74% of people want more housebuilding in their area, with more than 80% supporting wider community opinions in planning decisions.
52% of respondents would be more likely to support building in their area if they knew others were in favour, while only 6% would be less likely to support it.
The report also noted that infrastructure, such as schools and healthcare, was a key priority for communities.
Tim Leunig, director of Public First and former economic adviser to the Government, said: “The problem with our planning system is not that everyone can have their say, but that those who have their say are held up as representing the wider community.
“Those campaigns are never representative. They are coalitions of the willing – or, to be more accurate, coalitions of the unwilling.
“They are typically older, richer, and much more likely to be well-housed. They do not speak for the whole of the community.”
Richard Fearon, chief executive of Leeds Building Society, said: “Building more homes, including affordable homes, is a crucial part of solving our national housing crisis.”
