<b></b>The government has conceded that northern areas of England will not have to apply the same rigorous density standards as the south east following the publication of the density directive in December.<br>Felicity Everiss, regional director at the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber, told the HBF Northern Planning Conference in Leeds that: &amp;“There will be some degree of latitude in the application of PPG3 density standards in the north of England.&amp;” <p></p><p>The south east directive enables Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to intervene in any plans to build fewer than 30 homes per hectare in the south east. This prompted concerns that this would spread to other parts of the country where the demands on land are very different. It now seems that the north east, at least, will be escape the rule.</p><p>Everiss was presenting the keynote address to the conference on behalf of planning minister Tony McNulty who was called away at short notice. She also said that the Communities Plan recognises that there are differences within the north and that some areas have affordability problems rather than market failure issues.</p><p>She added that the Communities Plan defines the characteristics of a sustainable community and recognises that parts of …