Matthew Evans on Government planning committee changes
In recent articles for BE News and Property Wire, I joined with industry experts looking at the announced “sweeping overhaul” of the planning system. These plans, outlined by Angela Rayner (the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government), are aimed at accelerating the planning process whilst supporting better decision making, and some in part without permission from council committees.
Whilst these changes bring improvements, this may not be the fast track to building 1.5 million homes a year.
The key planning takeaways being that:
- The aim is to improve the process to help meet the hugely ambitious housing targets set by the Government. Although to make a genuine difference, greater reform is needed.
- With emphasis on this being a plan-led system, applications should, in theory, be approved faster if compliant. Giving greater control to the local planning authorities should accelerate approvals if they comply with the Local Plans, reducing wasted time.
- With the introduction of a new national scheme of delegation, only involving committees when truly necessary, and the opportunities for standardising elements of local plans, the speed and consistency of output looks set to improve.
This is a step in the right direction but, as I’ve mentioned, greater reform overall is needed to make a real change.
Read the full articles in BE News and Property Wire.
Subcribe to news and viewsIt may not deliver 1.5 million homes, but it would save time, money and get Britain building a bit faster.
https://www.propertywire.com/news/government-pledges-to-bypass-planning-committees-to-speed-up-housebuilding/
