Housing secretary Michael Gove has ordered England’s local authorities to build new homes on brownfield land, under a major “shake-up to planning rules”.

The government has announced that every council will be told that they will need to prioritise brownfield developments and instructed to be less bureaucratic and more flexible in applying policies that halt housebuilding on brownfield land.

According to the government, the bar for refusing brownfield plans will also be made much higher for those big city councils who are failing to hit their locally agreed housebuilding targets.

The government says that planning authorities in England’s 20 largest cities and towns will be made to follow a ‘brownfield presumption’, if housebuilding drops below expected levels – which will apparently make it easier to get permission to build on previously developed brownfield sites.

According to the government, the focus on brownfield land and urban development will deliver new housing while protecting the countryside and the green belt.

Analysis published today as part of the London Plan Review shows that new brownfield presumption in the capital could potentially result in up to 11,500 additional homes per year.

A consultation on the proposals  will run until 26 March, and the government says it will look to implement these changes to national planning policy as soon as possible.

The government plans to introduce these changes in London as a result of poor housing delivery in the capital, putting rocket boosters under brownfield regeneration projects.

Millions of homeowners will also be empowered to extend their homes outwards and upwards, as the government is today launching a consultation on proposals that would see more new extensions or large loft conversions “freed from the arduous process of receiving planning permission”.

Michael Gove said:  “Today marks another important step forward in our Long-Term Plan for Housing, taking a brownfield first approach to deliver thousands of new homes where people want to live and work, without concreting over the countryside.

“Our new brownfield presumption will tackle under delivery in our key towns and cities – where new homes are most needed to support jobs and drive growth.”

Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, added: “We pledged to build the right homes in the right places – protecting our precious countryside and building more in urban areas where demand is highest. Today’s package is us delivering on that.

“We are sticking to our plan and are on track to meet our commitment to deliver one million homes over the course of this Parliament, and the changes announced today will deliver the right mix of homes across England.”

Last year, Gove asked Christopher Katkowski KC to lead a review of the London Plan – in light of consistent disappointing housing delivery in the capital. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has published Katkowski’s review which recommended a presumption in favour of brownfield development.

However, to tackle development in the country’s other large cities and towns, the government is proposing to apply this presumption to all of the 20 most populous urban areas where development has fallen below acceptable levels.

Christopher Katkowski KC, lead reviewer of the London Plan, said: “I am delighted to see the idea which I together with my colleagues on the London Plan Review came up with of a planning policy presumption in favour of delivering new homes on brownfield sites being taken forward on a wider scale as part of a suggested change to the NPPF. The inspiration for the brownfield presumption came from the NPPF in the first place and so it is good to see the idea being brought back to its roots as an additional lever to encourage the delivery of new homes. I see this as a worthwhile and welcome change.”