It has been quite the start for the UK Labour Government who have wasted little time in setting out planned changes to the planning system. 

In her keynote speech last week, and first as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves referenced Planning as a key focus of the new UK Government's drive for economic growth.  Some of the reported proposals include:

• Changes to planning decisions for major infrastructure projects (NSIPs) in the UK, with a greater focus on project decisions being made nationally rather than locally.  The Secretary of State is likely to intervene more in planning proposals generating significant economic growth.
• Green Belt boundaries will be reviewed to prioritise brownfield and so-called 'Grey Belt' land.
• Restoration of mandatory housing targets and a revision to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to undo changes from the previous administration.
• A renewed emphasis on Local Planning Authorities to get their local plans up to date and review Green Belt boundaries.
• The transport and energy secretaries will prioritise decisions on infrastructure projects that have been "sitting unresolved for far too long"
• Additional planning officers to be recruited to speed up the planning process (300 across the country).
• A new Government taskforce will “accelerate stalled housing sites” beginning with Liverpool Central Docks, Worcester Parkway, Northstowe and Langley Sutton Coldfield, representing more than 14,000 homes.
• Energy projects to be given planning priority.

The de facto ban on new onshore windfarms has been lifted by removing two policy tests implemented by the previous administration to restrict onshore wind development, as the new Government strives to double the UK's onshore wind capacity by 2030.

Other changes include removing the phrase 'levelling up' with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities reverting to its previous name of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Matthew Pennycook (confirmed as a minister in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) suggested at Labour's party conference last October that the party would “reintroduce elements of strategic planning” to help make sure Green Belt land is released by Councils in a coordinated way and promised a “meaningful brownfield-first approach to development”.

The term 'Grey Belt” is currently undefined.  There has been discussion within CarneySweeney whether low quality ''Grey Belt” land will be removed from the Green Belt or whether there will be additional policy introduced to test proposals on this land. It also raises the question as to how a revised NPPF will accommodate this new definition.

A draft revised NPPF is expected to be published imminently, along with a raft of other initiatives the new Government is keen to get into motion before Summer recess (which is likely to be delayed until August).  If the revised NPPF is to be adopted within the first 100 days in office, this means a new NPPF could potentially be in place by mid-October 2024.

CarneySweeney will be closely monitoring changes in the coming weeks and months.  If you wish to discuss further please don't hesitate to get in touch.