A planning system overhaul has been unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner as part of the new Government’s pledge to deliver 1.5 million homes over the next five year and to make it easier to build key infrastructure projects.
Under the plans, some low-quality green belt land will be freed up to become part of a ‘grey belt’ to allow new homes to be built and all councils in England will be given new, mandatory housing targets.
The Government said it was committed to making it easier to build key infrastructure such as laboratories, gigafactories and data centres, as well as making changes to deliver more large onshore wind projects and solar development across the country.
Responding to the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework, Jane Gratton, Deputy Director of Public Policy at the BCC, said: “This framework has the potential to unlock the planning system in England and boost economic growth, but the proof of success will inevitably be judged in its delivery and outcomes.
“While it is welcome to see plans for more housing where it is needed, it must not come at the expense of land for business use. This is sorely needed to release firms’ pent-up ambitions to expand.
“The Government’s clear intention to speed up the planning system for large scale infrastructure can feed business confidence, if it can be delivered.
“Another major barrier to growth is the shortage of planning officers in local authorities. It’s crucial that we train and upskill more planners to work in our local economies across the UK.”
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