Details of thousands of hectares of public brownfield land is being kept under wraps by the government, raising the cost of affordable housing and renewable energy, says a planning campaign group. 

A new study published by Town and Country Planning Association calls for more surplus public land to be used at lower cost for affordable housing and renewable energy projects. The report, also urges government to lift the veil of secrecy around some £10 billion worth of surplus public land. 

The TCPA calls for the data on 4,500ha of surplus public land to be made publicly available for the first time.  The report also recommends granting ministers new powers to stop Whitehall selling off land to the highest bidder.

Gideon Amos, chief executive of the TCPA, and co-author of the report said, “Derelict hospital buildings or abandoned army barracks and other surplus government-owned sites are listed in almost every community in Britain, but details on the sites, who they are sold to and at what price remain restricted.” 

“This information should be in the public domain to ensure that the land is sold in the public interest.”

“Too often publicly owned sites have been confirmed as surplus to requirements but remain vacant until marketed for the highest price, preventing housing associations and local authorities obtaining the sites on behalf of local people. It is time for an end to land dealing between public bodies and government departments behind closed doors”.

The report, published with support from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation argues that the housing and planning minister should have powers on public land sales, including a cross-Whitehall "search and acquire" role to stop departments sitting on land to maximise its value and a single minister with authority over land releases.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has identified lack of available land as one of the key barriers to the provision of low cost social housing. Its director Julia Unwin said, "A lack of land supply is one of the chief barriers we face in delivering more and better homes. It would be a considerable missed opportunity not to tackle the problems of supply and affordability through capitalising on this important public asset."