Accelerated Planning System

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities launched the consultation on March 6.

It centres on four key proposals:

1. To introduce a new Accelerated Planning System for major commercial applications, with a decision time in 10 weeks or free refunds issued.
2. To change the use of extensions of time, including ending their use for householder applications and only allowing one extension of time for other developments
3. To expand the current simplified written representations appeals process
4. Broadening of the ability to vary a planning permission through section 73B applications and on the treatment of overlapping planning permissions.

As one of the UK’s largest housing providers, we put forward responses we believe will help deliver more homes for those who need them most.

Our response focused on the need for the APS to be extended to residential applications.

While we support the proposal, we feel this will allow the initiative to best meet the needs of the social housing sector.

What points did we ask the government to consider?

• The APS should be extended to the residential sector. Analysis suggests building 90,000 social rented homes would add £51.2bn to the economy, with more than half of that sum generated within a year of building the homes. But slow processing of residential planning applications, particularly for social and affordable housing, is delaying these benefits locally and nationally. We urge the government to consider accelerating all aspects of the planning process.
• The refund of a planning fee should be paid as 10 weeks if timeline is not met. This would be a significant incentive to encourage a timely decision.
• That the consultation needs to support local authorities in meeting the timelines laid out. Repeat extensions delay developments and supply chains and should be prohibited.
• Designation decisions in relation to speed of decision-making should be measured across multiple outputs to hold planning authorities to account.

Jonathan Layzell, Stonewater’s Chief Growth and Development Officer, said: “The economic benefits of building more social and affordable homes in the UK cannot be underestimated.

“Sadly, the slow processing of residential applications causes significant delays in accessing these positive impacts both nationally and locally.

“We are happy to support the government’s proposal for an Accelerated Planning Service, which we hope will bring forward much needed housing for those who need it most.

“But we would urge the government to consider our recommendations, most notably extending the APS to the residential sector to help access the incredible economic benefits of building social homes.”