Ministers to announce significant changes to UK's planning system

"The chancellor will announce a number of moves designed to make it easier for developers to build houses and infrastructure projects, in the hope that they will fill about 3bn of her estimated 30bn black hole. The package is designed to bolster fragile private sector confidence, which fell to a record low last month, according to figures from the Institute of Directors."

"They are at odds over whether to push ahead with an entirely new planning bill, which the prime minister has said is almost certainly needed, but which some ministers believe would be an unnecessary distraction. A government source said: The Treasury is desperate to make announcements on planning, but the truth is we are already doing most of the stuff we wanted to, and trying to reopen all of that is not a good idea."

"Alexa Culver, a planning lawyer at RSK Wilding, said the government was presiding over a chaotic slew of destructive new bills, with no strategy, vision, due process, consultation or democratic mandate. A government spokesperson said: The chancellor and the housing secretary are working together to reform the outdated planning system that's been holding this country back so we can build the 1.5m homes hardworking people need and have given the green light to projects like the Lower Thames Crossing to drive jobs and growth."

Rachel Reeves will announce planning changes before the budget to kickstart Britain’s sluggish economic growth. The chancellor will introduce measures to make it easier for developers to build houses and infrastructure, intended to fill about £3bn of an estimated £30bn fiscal gap. The package aims to bolster fragile private-sector confidence, which recently hit a record low. Ministers plan a separate nature bill to rewrite environmental rules perceived to delay projects. Senior ministers disagree over scope, debating technical adjustments versus a new planning bill. Some government sources caution against reopening already enacted measures; critics warn of chaotic, undemocratic bill-making.

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