The government launched the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in July in an attempt to simplify the planning structure. The frame work, reduces a thousand pages of planning guidelines into no more than 60. The Chancellor and Communities minister say the controversial planning reforms are key to economic recovery and have reiterated the government’s determination to press ahead with planning reform despite vocal opposition in a letter in the Financial Times recently.

Osborne and Pickles have argued that: “No one should underestimate our determination to win this battle.” “Planning reform is key to our economic recovery. Opponents claim, falsely, the government is putting the countryside in peril. We say that sticking with the old, failed planning system puts at risk young people’s future prosperity and quality of life.”

Osborne and Pickles have also argued that planning delays are costing the UK economy up to £3bn a year. “It is twice as expensive to get planning permission in London’s West End than in Paris, and 10 times more than in Brussels,” they add.  The Chartered Institute for Housing (CIH) has announced it is in broad favour of the changes saying that the NPPF provides ‘a golden opportunity to provide part of the solution’ to the housing crisis.

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