The Labour Party has released details of “once in a generation” planning reforms as part of its pledge to “get Britain building again”.
At the party’s annual conference in Liverpool, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves set out a series of proposals including the speeding up of planning for critically important infrastructure by updating all national policy statements within the first six months of a Labour government and fast tracking the planning process for priority growth areas of the economy, such as battery factories, laboratories and 5G infrastructure.
The party also said it would tackle “unnecessary, egregious, and time-consuming litigation” by setting clearer national guidance for developers on the engagement and consultation expected with local communities and strengthen public sector capacity to expedite planning decisions by appointing 300 new planning officers.
Reeves said: “If we want to spur investment, restore economic security, and revive growth. Then we must get Britain building again. The Tories would have you believe we can’t build anything anymore. In fact, the single biggest obstacle to building infrastructure, to investment and to growth in this country is the Conservative Party itself.
“If the Tories won’t build, if the Tories can’t build, then we will. Taking head on the obstacles presented by our antiquated planning system. Since 2012, decision times for national infrastructure have increased by 65%, now taking four years. Labour stands with the builders not the blockers.
“So today I am announcing our plans to get Britain building. A once in a generation set of reforms to accelerate the building of critical infrastructure for energy, transport, and technology. To fast-track battery factories, life sciences and 5G infrastructure and to tackle the litigation which devours time and money before we ever see shovels in the ground.
“And to make sure that when a local community hosts critical national infrastructure, they will feel the benefits, including lower energy bills. It is time we had a government with ambition for our communities. A government siding with the builders not the blockers. A government that will get Britain building again.”
Melanie Leech, Chief Executive of the British Property Federation, welcomed the planning reform proposals. She said: “Creating a better resourced, more effective and efficient planning system is now high on the political agenda for all parties. Planning delays cost jobs, economic growth, and new homes with the Construction Leadership Council predicting that a better planning system would give a boost of more than £11bn to the economy each year.
“It is good to see prioritisation being given by the Labour Party to strategic planning for large projects. Strategic projects – including those that deliver the essential industrial and logistics services we rely on – often fall across the boundaries of multiple local authorities, and therefore don’t get prioritised. Identifying such opportunities, and allowing them to be driven at regional level, is a positive route to the more homes and growth the country needs.
“Planning resource has been hollowed out over the past decade, as planning has faced some of the most severe cuts in local authorities. Communities are also losing out on proactive planning, and staff are demoralised. The proposed 300 new planning officers is a very positive start to addressing the backlog, and more will be needed.”
Alistair Watson, UK head of planning and environment at law firm Taylor Wessing, added: “Many of us in the real estate, infrastructure and energy sectors will welcome both the vision and the intent on the delivery of planning reform. That intention is extremely important; there have been three attempts at planning reform since 2019, and there has been no real progress. Progress – amongst many things – is what the country and the sector desperately needs.
“It’s true that there is a need to speed up the planning for critically important infrastructure. Though it’s also important to remember that the entire planning system needs reform. Permitted development rights to allow swift delivery of EV charging points; any rise in planning application fees to be used for investment only in local planning teams; and social and market housing to enable growth across the country are just three examples. All of this is critical, and all of this is the basic infrastructure which is critical to economic, social, and environmental sustainable development in the UK.
“To riff off George Orwell: It’s not case that some elements of planning reform are more critical than others. The fact is, every single element of planning reform is critical.”
