The planning system has a significant role to play in attracting businesses to a local area, providing safe places to live, protecting the environment and heritage assets, encouraging healthy lifestyles, and much more. So, it's no wonder that it’s the subject of significant amounts of regulation and guidance and was front and centre of the Labour Party’s manifesto with the party pledging to “get Britain building again”.
Appearing true to its word, the Labour Government has hit the ground running with its plan to overhaul the planning system, launching a myriad of planning related consultations during its first six months in power. These were all targeted towards its pledge to “get Britain building again” and deliver with 1.5 million new homes over this parliament. This is in addition to publishing an updated National Planning Policy Framework and related Planning Practice Guidance.
Advances in technology in other sectors, along with the Government’s clean energy mission and support for innovation, could require planning policy to adapt further. A Government mandate to switch to electric vehicles, and increases in renewable energy and exploration of technology such as data centre waste heat recovery, could change the infrastructure requirements of new settlements.
Will the already implemented and proposed further reforms to the planning system finally “get Britain building again” and address the longstanding shortfall in housing?