With the election results published and a swing in political majority all eyes are on the incoming Labour government.
From a planning and architectural point of view we are not yet certain of what this means. The discussion through debates and the promises contained with the Labour Manifesto suggest that there will be sweeping changes that could well be significant. There is a promise of a new National Planning Policy Framework and there will be a consultation upon this, this side of summer. However, changes are being made with a ministerial statement released in relation to onshore wind. There should be greater clarity over the next 4/5weeks on what the changes will actually be. What has been lacking throughout the debate and the manifesto is clarity or even an indication of what resources will be available to deliver on what has been promised but given the political landscape, this is to be expected.
Labour planning promises
So what has been promised? The majority of the changes will be delivered through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill which will be working its way through Government. The key headlines from Planning and Architecture are as follows;
- Boost growth by reforming planning system to increase housebuilding and infrastructure projects
- Statutory requirement for Local Growth Plans
- Reform and strengthen the presumption in favour of sustainable development
- Restore Mandatory Housing Targets
- New mechanisms for cross-boundary strategic planning
- Fund additional planning officers (300 across the country) – this is very unlikely to make a significant impact on resourcing given that there are 337 Local Planning Authorities, most of which would be considered to be understaffed
- 1.5m new homes for England over the next five years
- Strengthen planning obligations to provide more affordable homes
- 10-year infrastructure strategy
- Further devolution of power to combined authorities with new powers over transport, skills, housing and planning, and employment support, along with new growth plans for towns across the country
- A new generation of New Towns
- Release of ‘low quality’ Green Belt land coined grey belt and potential ‘re-drawing’ of Green Belt Boundaries
- Ban new leasehold flats ensuring that commonhold is the default tenure
- Great British Energy to provide nearly all of the UK’s electricity from clean energy
- Retro-fit – Invest an extra £6.6bn over the next parliament, doubling the existing planned government investment, to upgrade 5m homes to cut bills for families
- Reduce policy barriers to on shore wind
- Decisions on large projects made nationally rather than locally (this provision already exists with the NSIP trigger so more detail required before we can say what this will change) This looks like the scope of applications covered by NSIP will be broadened.Suggestion of reduced powers to ‘Nimby’s’ but exactly how is unclear and no suggestion that the legal grounds for a challenge on a decision will change
- Draft NPPF released later this month
- Compulsory purchase orders have been discussed, something the previous government also identified as an important part of delivering key development. Again, detail is lacking.
While the changes proposed a significant, they won’t fundamentally alter the current system. Some of the headlines and promises can only be delivered with very significant changes to the current process, particularly the promise of housing delivery. The new NPPF will be instrumental to providing the policy context in which this number of dwellings can be delivered. The manifesto suggests that it will still be a heavy reliance upon the private sector to fund the delivery of affordable housing. With interest rates and build costs as they stand, increasing an affordable housing contribution will be a significant challenge to the viability of a lot of sites. There is a promise that Labour will ‘unlock government grants to deliver new homes’ but detail on this is still lacking.
As it stands there appears to be no discussion of altering the General Permitted Development Order which means that ability to converted barns, commercial buildings and a raft of other uses to dwellings will remain intact.
Many of the changes are welcomed and, if implemented effectively we should begin to see meaningful change relatively quickly. One of the biggest issues facing the planning system in recent years has been funding for planning departments and political stability. Regardless of political outlook, it is hoped that both of these will be improved with he advent of a Government with a majority.
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Michael Bamford, Chartered Town Planner, Planning & Design Practice Ltd
Also of Interest: David Symons, Senior Architect at Planning & Design Practice takes a look at the new government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill. and the opportunities and uncertainties this could present for the architecture and planning industry.
