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The UK government intends to bypass council planning committees as part of its efforts to simplify the construction of new homes. The new powers would allow officials to quickly and easily approve projects that satisfy existing council strategies. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner argues that delays in the planning process are impeding efforts to build new housing. Critics of the proposal claim that councils require additional resources rather than bypassing existing planning structures.
Under the proposal, the fast-track planning process would apply to infrastructure associated with new housing projects, including schools and other public amenities. It is expected that the streamlined approach could help tackle the existing housing crisis in the UK by unblocking the planning system, which has acted like a “drag anchor” on growth in recent years.
While house builders have welcomed the initiative, councils have called for greater resources in their efforts to address the housing crisis. A spokeswoman for the Conservative Party dismissed the proposals as “nothing more than a list of empty promises, which will do nothing to ensure that Britain has the housing it needs where it needs it.”
The Local Government Association (LGA) argued that planning delays have not caused a backlog in house construction as over a million proposed homes have been agreed to “in principle” by councils. However, developers have failed to bring forward proposals. Critics are concerned that removing the power of local people to object to new housing projects could result in political repercussions, particularly in rural areas.
Next month, the UK government will introduce the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which will streamline the strategic planning process and incorporate better training for committee members. Meanwhile, the National Planning Policy Framework, England’s planning rulebook, is set for an update, with the government reportedly set to announce further reforms next week
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