Planning decisions are set to be fast-tracked as part of an overhaul of local planning committees aimed at tackling the housing crisis, according to reports from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
The Government intends to strengthen decision-making powers for planners to reduce delays and uncertainty.
New measures will allow applications that comply with local development plans to bypass planning committees.
The changes came ahead of updates to the National Planning Policy Framework, reflecting the Government’s focus on unlocking economic growth.
To modernise the planning approval process, a national scheme of delegation will be introduced, along with streamlined committees for strategic development and mandatory training for planning committee members.
Local planning officers will gain enhanced decision-making roles to implement agreed planning policies, allowing for timely approvals of good-quality schemes.
The proposed reforms aim to provide greater certainty for housebuilders, helping to accelerate the construction of homes.
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.
“The Government will deliver a sweeping overhaul of the creaking local planning committee system.
“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.
Rayner added: “Grasping the nettle of planning committee reform and fast-tracking decision-making is a vital part of our Plan for Change.
“Building 1.5 million homes over five years means tackling the housing crisis we inherited head-on with bold action.
“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.”
Dr Victoria Hills, chief executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, said: “It’s encouraging to see the Government explore these options in such an open way.
“These are the right questions to ask, and it is good that the Government is prioritising collaboration, transparency, and consistency.
“By empowering qualified planners to implement planning policies, locally elected councillors will have the time to focus on the more significant cases, effectively speeding up the planning process and reducing unnecessary delays.”
Hills added: “By requiring councillors to undergo appropriate training before joining planning committees, we can ensure planning decisions are made for the greater good of the communities while aligning with national policies.
“We would look forward to supporting this programme.”
