The necessary reforms are being brought in to cut arbitrary red tape while maintaining standards and protecting our Green Belt and greenfield sites. Under the new proposals and through local democratic agreement, land will be designated under the categories of growth, renewal or protection.
Land designated for growth will allow new homes, schools, shops and hospitals to be permitted as long as they meet local design and quality standards. Renewal areas will be provided with a ‘permission in principle’ approach subject to checks and balances with an emphasis on high quality that meets design standards. Heritage sites and green spaces will continue to be protected and preserved, with development taking place on brownfield sites.
This new rule-based planning system will make the best use of technology to increase transparency and accessibility and save public money being spent on outdated procedures. A new and simpler national levy will replace developer contributions, which are often the source of major delays and allow more funds to be raised for social infrastructure to the benefit of communities.
The consultation on planning for the future has been launched and is now open to views from the public, businesses and local government. You can share your views here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-for-the-future
