Housing White Paper reforms will ‘accelerate’ planning process
The government will release its housing White Paper in the spring to outline an overhaul of the country’s planning rules.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said it would “propose measures to accelerate planning” and “maximise the potential of new technologies to modernise the system”.
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick said this would include introducing a “zonal” approach to planning.
The announcement comes alongside a package of housing policies in the Budget, including £1.1bn to build 70,000 houses in “high demand areas”, a £400m fund for regional mayors to build on brownfield sites and a £10.9bn increase in housing investment to build 1m by 2024.
Jenrick said: “We must think boldly and creatively about the planning system to make it fit for the future, and this is just the first step, so we can deliver the homes communities need and help more young people onto the ladder.”
Construction advocacy bodies welcomed the news of the impending White Paper.
Richard Beresford, chief executive of the National Federation of Builders, calling it a “long time coming”.
“As the major rural employers, apprentice trainers and local investors, smaller builders must benefit greatly from reforms and we look forward to working with the Government on ensuring this happens,” he said.
PwC’s construction and engineering leader Rob Walker said: “In what will be the first planning reform in over 20 years, the White Paper has the potential to radically improve social welfare while delivering on the UK’s net zero ambitions.”