18th May 2021

Roger Parry & Partners have welcomed announcements made in the Queen’s speech that the government will press ahead with a shake-up of the planning system, as part of the forthcoming planning bill.

The planning bill, which is expected to be brought before Parliament in the autumn, is being designed to enact planning reforms trailed in last summer’s planning white paper, in which the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said he wanted to ‘level the foundations’ of planning and create an entirely new system.

A pledge to increase the number of new houses being built was also included. Under new proposals, areas will be designated for growth, protection or regeneration, with developments in growth areas being harder for local opponents to block.

Richard Corbett, Planning Expert and Partner with Roger Parry & Partners warmly welcomed the announcements. He said, “The positive messages we are getting out of Westminster are very much welcomed and a refreshing attitude towards the difficulties we have faced for many years with delays to planning applications. These pledges must now be followed by action. We need to see a commitment to these aims in the near future.”

In the speech, which sets out the government’s priorities for the year at the state opening of parliament, the government also committed itself to investing in infrastructure and improving building safety. The draft building safety bill has been undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny since being published in July last year.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has released details of new fire-safety statements developers will have to provide covering all aspects of land under development. The Building Safety Bill, which is still going through parliament, will require contractors to rely less on Building Control when it comes to safety standards.

The planning arena is a highly regulated and technically demanding area but one that can provide the opportunity for significant capital enhancement when tackled correctly. Roger Parry & Partners’ planning team are dedicated to keeping abreast of all the complex rules and technical requirements relating to planning policy and associated regulation.