Will relaxing planning controls really mean more houses are built?

Kibworth Harcourt windmill

Planning controls are to be relaxed because the government believes that will seem more houses built.

Its reason for wanting to see more built is odd - "productivity" - but will this move work?

Last summer I blogged about Harborough District Council's request for a meeting with house builders to ask if they could build more quickly. The council was concerned that it would not meet government targets.

This week its planning committee gave outline permission for new housing development on open land outside Kibworth Harcourt despite vocal opposition.

Perhaps Harborough is not typical of the rest of the country, but nothing I have read recently has convinced me that it is local council that are holding up the building of more houses.