Conservative MP Eric Pickles has been appointed secretary of state for the Department for Communities and Local Government, which is responsible for housing and planning.

David Cameron has appointed Pickles, who led Bradford District Council for three years up to 1990, as communities secretary in his new cabinet. Pickles was shadow communities secretary from July 2007 to January 2009, when he became Conservative party chairman.

During his tenure, he pledged to bring planning powers back to a local level, cut regional bureaucracy, and give local authorities more control over housebuilding goals.

Pickles has also promised to address empty rates as a priority.

The Town and Country Planning Association welcomed Pickles’ appointment.

TCPA interim chief executive Kate Henderson said: “Eric Pickles has sound experience as former shadow communities secretary and prior to that as shadow minister for local government. There is now a genuine opportunity to focus on the real priorities for the country – pressing climate change and housing need – and these issues must take centre stage in CLG’s work.”

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