I had got my hopes up that we had moved away from government diktats and demonising of councils, but the language being used around the Government’s proposed planning reforms is just that.
Council planning committees are in the firing line. How many times do we need to remind government that councils approve nine out of 10 planning applications that come before them?
On the one hand, the Government’s proposals include some of the LGA’s long-term asks, such as making it easier for councils to purchase vacant land for housebuilding, pledging to increase planning capacity, investing in infrastructure and speeding up its delivery.
However, there remain concerns around how it will ensure councils – which know their areas best and what they need – remain at the heart of the planning process. The democratic role of councillors in decision-making is essential.
Planning committees make decisions on only a small percentage of applications each year – and those typically involve larger or more controversial schemes that require greater scrutiny by those who represent their communities. A top-down national scheme with no reference to local authorities of different types and geographies is a recipe for disaster.
A recent survey by the LGA found that more than 96 per cent of decisions were delegated and made by officers in the second quarter of 2024.
“The town hall, not Whitehall, is best placed to decide on where development goes”
Our villages, towns and cities could be littered with ‘Angela Rayner’s eyesores’, with no reference to local communities, landscapes and street scenes. The town hall, not Whitehall, is best placed to decide where development goes.
If the Government is serious about putting communities in charge, it could start by amending permitted development rights so councils can ensure truly affordable housing is not excluded from any permission.