The Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Just one piece of the puzzle.

Written by Oliver Hazell – Associate Director

The Labour Party’s election pledges on planning, housebuilding and delivering new infrastructure were punchy – many would say necessary. 

It’s clear the Government sees supporting the ‘builders, not blockers’ on planning and infrastructure delivery as a driver of national economic growth. But the puzzle of driving growth via the planning system isn’t simple to solve.   

But a significant piece of that planning puzzle has now been introduced to Parliament – the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, bringing optimism for those building homes or providing new infrastructure. 

The changes to schemes being delegated to planning officers, to a pivot to strategic planning and reforms on clean energy, grid connections and bill discounts for those living near new pylons have been welcomed by almost the whole of industry – with an ‘about time’ feeling to the reaction.  

 It will likely be another year before the legislation hits the Statute Book – then there’s the important secondary legislation to come. During the Bill’s passage, it’s likely we’ll see interventions from politicians to amend it too, all of which will add time.  

On amendments, the Labour Infrastructure Forum has already stated it doesn’t think the Bill goes far enough on habitat regulations and lacks focus on brownfield passports – watch this space for potential changes on these topics. But as amendments are tabled and time ticks by, the Government’s clean energy 2030 mission will get ever closer; and the 1.5 million new homes target will get  harder to meet as planning remains sluggish until the new laws change that pace.  

Yet the planning puzzle gets even more complicated now devolution and local government re-organisation has been added to the mix. As local authorities look to what the devolved and re-organised future means for them, we could see delays on planning proposals already in the system as resource is diverted from the present to the future.   

Additionally, whilst the Bill’s strategic planning system proposal should assist larger scale developments, spatial development strategies could lead to less ability for future combined authorities and existing local authorities to be agile to new sites with innovative uses coming forward that aren’t in the spatial plan. Adding a combined authority mayor and their vision for their region will also bring further complexity.  

Yet all this planning policy work may not even be realised and seen by the voter on the street, and the MP in their constituency, until the very end of this parliament. So, for a Government focussed on delivery, the pace of the Bill may be too slow to help the Government deliver on its manifesto promises before the next General Election.  

Get in touch to understand how Cavendish can support your organisation on and through the changes coming through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and on devolution and local government re-organisation.