Planning | Freeths

These changes, if implemented successfully, will have a positive impact on developers in the years ahead. The retention and recruitment of planners, particularly within Councils, would enable swifter planning decisions to be made on housing and infrastructure, addressing the backlog in planning decisions, enabling developers to commence works sooner, and aiding the Government’s vision of

These changes, if implemented successfully, will have a positive impact on developers in the years ahead.

The retention and recruitment of planners, particularly within Councils, would enable swifter planning decisions to be made on housing and infrastructure, addressing the backlog in planning decisions, enabling developers to commence works sooner, and aiding the Government’s vision of building an additional 1.5 million homes. Significant praise has been received for the decision to increase investment in the planning system, with Dr Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, stating that the Autumn Budget “marks a watershed moment for the English planning system”.

Additional benefits for developers will be created by a possible reform relating to social housing by expanding on the zero-rate of VAT, making investment in social housing land increasingly viable for developers. The devolution of £1.3 billion to Mayors from the National Housing Delivery Fund and reforms to ease growth of high street and hospitality businesses also signifies a promising change for developers, with the former to aid the delivery of ambitious growth projects and deliver strategic sites across the country and the latter promoting development in those areas.