Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick MP has today (12 March 2020) set out proposals to bring Britain’s planning system into the 21st century as part of plans to get the country building. The changes announced today come ahead of plans for an ambitious planning white paper – set to reform the planning system by speeding up the decision-making process so homes can be built quicker where they are needed the most.

Andrew Hugill, Director of Policy and Technical Affairs, CIHT said:

Improved integration between planning and transport is essential to create sustainable developments, infrastructure and well-designed communities. We welcome today’s announcement that acknowledges that housing should be focussed close to existing transport hubs. Through our ‘Better Planning, Better Transport, Better Places’ advice, we have shown the importance of infrastructure and ‘place’ being provided in advance of new developments.

We need an efficient and integrated planning and transport system to not only support a strong, healthy and prosperous economy but to help reduce carbon emissions. CIHT will continue to work with the government to ensure that the sector has the capability to deliver sustainable and accessible communities through integrated planning and transport. 

In the new proposals councils will be encouraged to take a more innovative approach to home building – by ensuring redevelopment of high streets is housing-led, building upwards and above and around stations. The document published today Planning for the Future further adds: "It is vital that we make the most of existing transport hubs, encouraging modern, green communities where people live close to public transport.". Further, all local authorities will be required to have up-to-date Local Plans in place by December 2023, or see government intervention, so enough homes are built for their communities.  

The main aim of the plans are to speed up the construction of homes in the UK to deal with the housing crisis. A number of measures will be taken:

• Next month (April) the government will launch a register of brownfield sites which will map out unused land as part of plans to encourage councils to make the most of this land first – backed by £400 million to bring this mostly unused land back to use.
• Developers will be able to demolish vacant commercial, industrial and residential buildings and replace them with well-designed homes without getting delayed in a lengthy planning process, under new plans being consulted on by the government, meaning that more homes will be able to be delivered more quickly.
• Good design and place-making will be at the heart of the new system, championing tree-lined streets, a “fast track for beauty” and a commitment to lower carbon emissions in all new homes – for a green revolution in housebuilding.
• A new £10 billion Single Housing Infrastructure Fund to give confidence to communities, local authorities and developers that the infrastructure they want will be delivered before the building starts. This follows the announcement of £12 billion of investment to build more affordable homes – the biggest cash investment in affordable housing for a decade. With the ability to also bring in around £38 billion of further private and public investment. 

In the Spring, Government will publish a bold and ambitious Planning White Paper. It will propose measures to accelerate planning. It will maximise the potential of new technologies to modernise the system. It will make it easier for communities to understand the planning system and play a role in decisions that affect them. Together, the measures it puts forward will set out a pathway to a new English planning system which is fit for the future.

For the government announcement, please see here