We will loosen the housing ‘straitjacket’, vows Jenrick

THE Housing Secretary has called for a “rethink” of the “overly bureaucratic” planning system, as reform is seen as a key part of the government’s economic recovery plan.

Robert Jenrick said he wants “to speed up and simplify” the process and help young people buy their first home.

Ministers consider planning reform as one of the ways to get the economy going again after the recession, with work ongoing in No10 and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Mr Jenrick made the comments following a report by Policy Exchange, the think tank, which described the current system as a “straitjacket” and called for planning reform.

He said: “As Housing Secretary, I want everyone, no matter where in the country they live, to have access to affordable, safe and high-quality housing, and to live in communities with a real sense of place.

“It’s time to rethink planning from first principles. High-quality design and sensitivity to the local vernacular must be at the heart of the process.

“The time has come to speed up and simplify this country’s overly bureaucratic planning process. We’ll do that with a focus on creating beautiful, environmentally friendly places, building homes of all tenures and helping more young people on to the ladder.”

Bridget Rosewell, National Infrastructure Commissioner, said in the think tank report: “Abolishing the Plan does not mean a free-for-all. A framework of long-term investments in infrastructure for power, transport and water is still needed.

“But, in detail, local interests and local people can fight it out.”

She added: “My review of planning inquiries showed that they could be done twice as fast just by applying sensible rules, most of which already existed, to manage the process.”