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Soon after the general election, Chancellor Gordon Brown announced the Governments intention to reform the planning system. He talked of detailed proposals for modernisation that will strike the right balance in a radically different economy which puts an ever higher premium on speed, efficiency and flexibility.
Stephen Byers, Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, has now given more detail of the Governments intentions. Speaking at the Institute for Public Policy Research on 26 July he said:
Our present planning system is over 50 years old. It needs a radical overhaul
On economic issues he said:
First, we need to ask whether planning is delivering the goods as far as economic development is concerned
I am well aware from my time at the DTI, that the planning system plays a big part in determining business opportunities
He refers to the three tiers of Regional Planning Guidance, Structure Plans and local plans and asks:
Do we still need this degree of complexity? And is the multi-tier structure adding any value?
There was a clear purpose and radical intent in the Secretary of States remarks. He said:
The Government can and will legislate to overhaul the planning system
A Government Green Paper on reforming the planning system is now expected in the autumn