The Housing Forum responds to working paper on planning committees

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The Government has put out a working paper on modernising planning committees. Proposals include compulsory training for councillor members of planning committees, separate committees for strategic planning, and a national scheme of delegation to planning officers to make decisions.

The Housing Forum’s cross sector membership means that we are uniquely placed to bring together those who work within local authority planning departments (officers, and also local councillors), with those who put in planning applications – housebuilders, housing associations and architects.

During 2023, we ran a working group on planning which produced two reports on planning (Streamlining-planning and Planning validation requirements). More recently, we have brought our members together to discuss the government’s proposals for planning reform, including the modernisation of planning committees and proposed scheme for national delegation.

Housing Forum members from across the sector appreciate the rationale behind the proposed reforms – all agree that planning can become politicised in a way that does not serve the greater good, and that councillors can have pressure put upon them by local residents to block applications for reasons that are not, on balance, in the best interests of current and future populations.

There are, however some concerns about the proposals to remove powers from local authorities to determine individual planning applications – noting that planning is a key area in which many people do try to engage with local government and democracy. There are also concerns with the practicality of using compliance with development plans and local policies as a factor for determining which applications go to committee, when this is rarely black and white.

We see strong and widespread support for the proposals for a separate strategic planning group and for compulsory training of councillors sitting on planning committees.

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