Newsroom

Government planning review to help business

Plans to cut red tape on planning applications have been welcomed by the property industry today.

A government review of planning carried out by Joanna Killian, chief executive of Essex county council, and David Pretty, former chief executive of Barratts Developments, was commissioned last spring to examine ways to produce a leaner, more efficient planning process.

The report’s recommendations could save firms hundreds of millions of pounds a year through a cut in red tape which delays larger applications and burdens councils with needless paperwork.

The headline recommendation in the report of removing up to 40 per cent of minor business applications from the system is strongly backed by the British Property Federation (BPF), which represents developers, investors and agents, as it would enable limited planning resources to be focused on the major planning applications that can revive local economies and generate employment.

The BPF, which has recently published a 12 point planning manifesto, has strongly backed the review’s key recommendations.

The property industry has long pressed for a reduction in the sheer volume of needless paperwork demanded for planning applications, and for more resources to be devoted to discussions between authorities and developers before applications are made.

Property agent Jones Lang LaSalle recently said that the cost of printing copies of a planning application for 12 councillors on one scheme ran to an astonishing £55,000, money which could be much better spent reinvesting in communities.

Liz Peace, chief executive of the BPF, said:

“These recommendations could make a real difference to the planning system and to the costs of developers. We welcome the planning minister’s response to today’s review and her commitment to act ‘immediately’ on the recommendations. We welcome today’s proposals for reducing the amount of information needed to support a planning application, improving the pre-application process and speeding up contributions from statutory consultees. We welcome, too, the acknowledgement that there is scope for removing more planning applications from the system.

“The report also touches on the need to deploy resources more effectively and it is crucial that the Government takes this aspect fully on board as currently many local authorities simply do not have sufficient numbers of planners to maintain a proper quality of service.

“The current slowdown in development activity means that there could be no better time for Government to make our planning system fit for purpose. These recommendations provide Government with a blueprint for action. Ministers must now move rapidly to implement them so that, as the recession begins to ease, good developments that promote regeneration and create employment can make rapid progress.”

The BPF’s recommendations for improving planning are below:

1. Improve recruitment and retention of planners

2. Let planners get on with planning, removing minor applications

3. Encourage Councils to outsource mainstream planning functions

4. Encourage councils to accept property industry funding for planning resources

5. Make councillor training mandatory

6. Pool resources across local authorities

7. Incentivise local authorities to promote development

8. Use tax increment financing to fund infrastructure

9. Reduce information required to support planning applications

10. Speed up the contribution from statutory consultees

11. Improve and incentivise pre-application discussions

12. Require planning appeals to concentrate on the reasons for refusal

For more information please contact Andrew Teacher on 07968 124545 / ateacher@bpf.org.uk, or Maddie Williams on 0207 802 0364 / mwilliams@bpf.org.uk