The British Property Federation (BPF) has ahead of the general election published a new planning manifesto, ‘Building More, Building Better’ calling on the next Government not to embark upon a radical rewrite of the planning system, but instead improve existing policies and structures to deliver a planning system that functions quickly, efficiently and with certainty to deliver the places that will make the country more productive and sustainable.

The manifesto argues that the planning system does not currently function effectively when it comes to the ‘larger-than-local’ planning required to deliver major developments, or in meeting the needs of both housing growth and the logistics/industrial facilities that supports new communities and creates new jobs.

The manifesto further argues that the planning system needs greater resources to fulfil its crucial role in the wider economy as a key gateway to economic growth and development. A lack of resource in combination with the seemingly constant round of consultations and proposals for change has led to an air of uncertainty hanging over our planning system for many years now. This has not only undermined our planning system’s operation and effectiveness but has also deterred significant investment in our built environment.

The BPF therefore suggests of six practical measures which the next government can adopt to improve our planning system without the need for a radical reset that would create additional uncertainty, delay and complexity for the property sector, planning authorities and local communities alike.

These are:

+ Introduce strategic planning to drive growth in the right locations. This ‘larger than local’ approach should be established as a requirement in the National Planning Policy Framework

+ Promote greater stability in the planning system by allowing the emerging local plan system to bed in

+ Further public and private investment in the planning system, recognising that an efficient planning system is a gateway to wider economic growth and regeneration

+ Abandon the flawed Infrastructure Levy and focus on improving CIL and S106

+ Start a new conversation on the Green Belt which focuses on quality not quantity, moving beyond an obsession with protecting historic boundaries

+ Plan for all forms of housing need with the reintroduction of binding targets for assessing housing need. The NPPF should also specifically support rental sector housing delivery by being insistent on Local Authorities planning for rental homes, student, and older peoples’ needs.

Claire Dutch, head of UK real estate practice at Ashurst and chair of the BPF planning committee, said: “Planning should be an enabler of growth and the ultimate objective has to be to get the UK building again. While some say we need a radical reform of the planning system, we believe that the objective is best achieved by improving the current system, rather than ripping it up and starting again.”

“That’s why we are proposing evolution rather than revolution, with a six-point plan to strengthen strategic planning and cooperation, ensuring that the system has adequate resourcing, introducing a standard method for assessing housing need, scrapping the Infrastructure Levy and enhancing CIL/S106, allowing the local plan system to bed it, and having a genuine conversation over the role of the Green Belt.”