The government has announced a major overhaul of local planning committees, to fast-track planning decisions as part of its plan to deliver 1.5 million homes.
Property developers could bypass planning committees, under new measures to modernise the approval process, provided planning applications comply with local development plans.
The measures would see:
- A national scheme of delegation introduced
- The creation of streamlined committees for strategic development
- Mandatory training for planning committee members
Local planning officers will also have an enhanced decision-making role to implement agreed planning policy.
Through the changes, the government aims to provide “greater certainty to housebuilders that good-quality schemes aligned with already-agreed local development plans will be approved in a timely manner.”
On Friday, prime minister Keir Starmer set out the government’s Plan for Change, outlining plans to ‘triple the decisions’ of the previous Parliament.
Starmer pledged to decide on at least 150 new infrastructure projects on top of its 1.5 million homes commitment.
On top of the proposed reforms, new 10-year strategies for housing and infrastructure are set to be published next Spring.
The government is also expected to confirm changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) this week.
The new announcements aim to sit alongside increased government spending on housing announced at the Autumn Budget, including £500 million in new funding for the Affordable Homes Programme taking the total spending on housing to £5 billion.
Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner said: “Building more homes and infrastructure across the country means unblocking the clogged-up planning system that serves as a chokehold on growth.
“Streamlining the approvals process by modernising local planning committees means tackling the chronic uncertainty and damaging delays that acts as a drag anchor on building the homes people desperately need.
“Grasping the nettle of planning committee reform and fast-tracking decision-making is a vital part of our Plan for Change.
“Through our Planning and Infrastructure Bill, alongside new National Planning Policy Framework and mandatory housing targets, we are taking decisive steps to accelerate building, get spades in the ground and deliver the change communities need.”
Commenting on Starmer’s Plan for Change, Home Builders Federation (HBF) chief executive Neil Jefferson argued further policy interventions are needed to achieve the government’s plans.
Jefferson said: “We also need assistance for housing associations to enable them to purchase the affordable housing provided by housebuilders as part of the planning permission and a solution to the unnecessary nutrient neutrality issue that is holding up around 160,000 new homes.“
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