Over five years on from the CIHT report, Better Planning, Better Transport, Better Places, the planning system in England has become a major focus of legal and policy  reform. Planning and construction are at the centre of the UK government’s growth strategy, as it targets 1.5 million new homes built over the next five years. Reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) were finalised in December 2024 and as of October 2025, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill is currently making its way through the UK Parliament.  

Within the context of these changes, CIHT convened a roundtable discussion with CIHT members, including Technical Champions and CIHT Council members, in July 2025 to understand practitioners' views on whether these reforms would be enough to ensure the planning system would deliver better places. 

Delegates at the roundtable were asked to consider the proposed changes to the planning system and the potential for these changes to deliver better transport outcomes in new developments, particularly considering the specific planning needs of sustainable transport modes such as active travel and buses.   

CIHT members can read the article to find out more about the UK government's planning reform programme and what experts from CIHT's membership believe is still needed to ensure the planning system delivers better transport outcomes. With topics ranging from new towns, land use and the role of local authorities, this article covers a range of key planning issues faced by the sector. 

To find out more about the discussion read the article here.