A Busy Month for the Planning Industry
The past month has brought one of the most significant waves of planning reform announcements in years, with the government pursuing an aggressive strategy to accelerate housing delivery, cut perceived bureaucracy, and reconfigure the relationship between central and local decision-making…
First, in the Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed a substantial £48 million boost to expand planning capacity across England. This will fund the recruitment of 350 new planners annually, alongside expansion of the Pathways to Planning graduate scheme and creation of a new Planning Careers Hub aimed at retention and retraining.
If delivered, this would help the government fulfil its ambition of 1,400 additional planners over this Parliament – four times the original manifesto pledge. The move has been warmly welcomed by the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) and others who argue that chronic understaffing has slowed investment and stalled growth. However, questions remain around whether this funding is additional to last autumn’s £46 million allocation and whether the 350-planner figure is indeed annual.
The sector continues to grapple with concerns about the withdrawal of Level 7 apprenticeship funding for over-22s earlier this year – a decision widely seen as threatening the professional pipeline. While the new recruitment drive is significant, workforce challenges remain far from resolved
Paul Smith from Apex Planning Consultants also draws attention to the recent RTPI report regarding impending planned retirement by many current town planners and concern that the new planners could be filling the resulting vacancies more than adding to the existing pool of professionals. He also points out that the intention to recruit new town planners is certainly laudable, but it will take several years for new recruits to qualify and then build real-world experience before they make a difference.
Referring Refusals
In a shift away from localism, Housing Secretary Steve Reed is reportedly preparing to require councils to refer all refusals for schemes of more than 150 homes directly to Central Government. Under these plans, ministers could ‘call in’ such applications and decide their outcomes – potentially overruling local opposition.
Supporters of the proposal, including the Home Builders Federation, say this could unlock stalled large sites and help restore viability where regulatory burdens have stacked up. However, the Local Government Association has criticised the proposal for diminishing democratic accountability, while legal experts warn that the Planning Inspectorate’s resources would need considerable reinforcement.
The move mirrors existing mayoral powers in London, and may align with broader devolution proposals, but it marks a clear intention by ministers to intervene more assertively in major residential decision-making.
Paul Smith comments, “Such a move certainly has resource implications for the Planning Inspectorate. However, it is also possible that it can be more efficient in determining applications by not being bogged down in local politics.”
‘Default Yes’
Steve Reed has also provided more clarity on the proposed ‘default yes’ policy for new homes near stations. The policy – which even applies to Green Belt sites – will only be triggered where stations are well-connected, within reasonable walking distance, and where services run frequently.
However, Green Belt development will still need to meet the government’s Golden Rules, including delivering 15 percentage points more affordable housing than local requirements (capped at 50%), as well as infrastructure upgrades and enhanced accessible green space. More detailed definitions, particularly around service frequency, are still to come in the upcoming NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) update.
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
The government’s flagship Planning and Infrastructure Bill has now cleared the Lords, following assurances that initial environmental delivery plans (EDPs) will be limited strictly to nutrient pollution. Wider EDPs will not be progressed until evidence from the first tranche is reported back to Parliament.
This sequencing provides some breathing space for developers concerned that earlier drafts risked introducing wide-ranging new environmental obligations without sufficient clarity. Nevertheless, Natural England will take on a central role in delivering mitigation funded through the new Nature Restoration Fund.
NDMPs
Perhaps the most contentious development is the government’s decision to bring forward National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) on a non-statutory basis, meaning they will function only as material considerations rather than carrying the legal weight originally intended under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act.
Senior planning KC Christopher Katkowski has described this as a “huge missed opportunity”, arguing that statutory NDMPs would have offered clearer, stronger pro-growth direction. Others, including the Planning Officers’ Society, note that making NDMPs statutory could have destabilised adopted local plans overnight due to LURA’s rigid drafting.
Statutory Consultees
Finally, the government has launched its long-awaited consultation on removing statutory consultee status from Sport England, the Theatres Trust and the Gardens Trust, potentially eliminating around 3,000 consultations a year. Ministers argue this will streamline decision-making; the effectiveness of this measure will depend on how non-statutory engagement evolves in practice. The consultation runs until 13 January.
Paul Smith further commented, “It is always prudent to look at ways to streamline the planning process and remove unnecessary barriers, and this move should be welcomed. However, it is questionable how significant this particular move will be in releasing land for housing and major development proposals.”
For the planning industry, all the above changes represent central intervention, more pressure for speed, and significant organisational change. The coming months – particularly the NPPF update – will determine how coherently these reforms align into a functioning system capable of meeting the Government’s 1.5 million homes ambition.
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