Changes To Planning Permission 2020

On 6th August 2020, two significant consultation documents were released. The ‘Planning for the future’ and ‘Changes to the current planning system’ White Papers outline wholesale reforms to the planning system in England. There have already been several waves of changes to rules on change of use and permitted development rights (PDRs) during the Covid-19 pandemic, with more planning policy changes to come. Here, we’ll explore and explain few Changes To Planning Permission and see how Muse Architects can help you navigate through them.For some time, the Government has been signalling its intention to make radical changes to the planning system in England. The Covid-19 pandemic brought about some immediate changes to certain aspects of planning policy – such as enabling pubs to offer hot food takeaway services – while other, substantial changes to the planning system, aimed (the Government says) at creating a new system suitable for the 21st century, are the subject of consultation through the white paper Planning for the Future. The Government also intends to make some changes to the current planning system and has launched a concurrent consultation  about that.

planning White Paper

• A planning White Paper had been expected for some time; the long-awaited Planning for the Future white paper was launched on 6 August 2020, with an accompanying press release. The press release sets out in the Government’s words what the changes will mean: • Local communities will be consulted from the very beginning of the planning process. By harnessing the latest technology through online maps and data, the whole system will be made more accessible • Valued green spaces will be protected for future generations by allowing for more building on brownfield land and all new streets to be tree lined • Much-needed homes will be built quicker by ensuring local housing plans are developed and agreed in 30 months – down from the current 7 years • Every area to have a local plan in place – currently only 50% of local areas has a plan to build more homes • The planning process to be overhauled and replaced with a clearer, rules based system. Currently around a third of planning cases that go to appeal are overturned at appeal • A new simpler national levy to replace the current system of developer contributions which often causes delay • The creation of a fast-track system for beautiful buildings and establishing local design guidance for developers to build and preserve beautiful communities
• All new homes to be ‘zero carbon ready’, with no new homes delivered under the new system needed to be retrofitted as we achieve our commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050

Fierce criticism

There has, though, been some fierce criticism. In an open letter issued shortly after the Prime Minister’s build, build, build speech, the chief executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), Victoria Hills, voiced concern about the approach that the white paper was expected to take and the “planner bashing rhetoric” and argued that sweeping away the planning system was not the right response. The President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Alan Jones, agreed that the planning system needed to be reformed but branded the white paper’s proposals as “shameful”.Malcolm Clarke, highlights the important points in the ‘Planning for the future’ White Paper.

Changes To Planning Permission 2020

• The ‘Changes to the current planning system’ covers some important changes to assessing housing numbers, delivering first homes and supporting small and medium-sized developers. In our most recent webinar, Victoria Longmore explains the important points of the ‘Planning for the future’ bill, which proposes widespread reforms to the planning system in: • Plan making; • Development management; • Infrastructure payments; and, • Digitising the planning system. The consultation period for ‘Planning for the future’ runs through to 29th October 2020, and the proposals in the paper are far-reaching, seek to put an end to the piecemeal and bolt-on fixes to the planning system which have taken place since 1947.

There are significant changes in all aspects of planning permissions and permitted development, it took a while to get a grasp on how their changes will impact our work in the practice which at first was frustrating. But we all need to adapt and see how we can work with the new changes. So, give us a call let us help you with your development regardless of its location, type or size.