The Government's new paper "Planning for the Future"​ - What does this mean for the planning process?

The Government’s new paper ‘Planning for the Future’ published earlier this month sets out ambitious targets for the future of planning. Following this, a Planning White Paper is set to modernise the planning system and speed up the planning process in the delivery of homes across the UK. The Planning White Paper will form part of a series of reforms, alongside a Social Housing White Paper, Building Safety Bill and Renters Reform Bill proposed to the national housing strategy.

The Government’s new paper ‘Planning for the Future’ published earlier this month sets out ambitious targets for the future of planning. Following this, a Planning White Paper is set to modernise the planning system and speed up the planning process in the delivery of homes across the UK. The Planning White Paper will form part of a series of reforms, alongside a Social Housing White Paper, Building Safety Bill and Renters Reform Bill proposed to the national housing strategy.

The policy paper gives us an indication of some of what we can expect to see in the much anticipated White Paper. 

What does this mean and reasons to be cheerful

  • Accelerated planning: new fee structures will be introduced to improve resourcing of planning authorities and automatic rebates of fees will be given where planning applications are successfully appealed. There are also promises to ‘explore wider operations to encourage planning permissions to be built out more quickly’ and introduce further ‘support and expertise’ to local authorities in using CPO powers.
  • Brownfield land: the Government plans to help unlock brownfield land by launching a national map of brownfield sites next monthIt will also conduct a call for proposals to seek evidence on building above stations in urban areas.
  • Permitted development: new permitted development rights will be introduced by summer 2020 to encourage building upwards and increasing density, including extending residential blocks by up to two storey's. The Government also plans to consult on new permitted development rights to allow vacant commercial, industrial and residential buildings to be demolished and replaced with new residential units.
  • Local plans: the proposals require all local planning authorities to have up-to-date local plans by December 2023 and the Government is prepared to intervene where planning authorities do not meet this target.
  • Infrastructure: the Budget set out £1.1billion in funding for key infrastructure schemes, including new roads and transport links.

Watch this space

At Lanpro we are eager to see the moderinsation of the Planning System in order to speed up the planning process to deliver the much need 300,000 new homes a year the country needs.

We are anticipating that more detail will be provided within the Planning White Paper, which is expected in ‘the Spring’.

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