Planning and Infrastructure Bill huge opportunity for the built environment, says CIC

The Bill was introduced into the House of Commons on March 12 and contains sweeping measures aimed at speeding up planning to boost housebuilding and remove obstacles and challenges to the delivery of vital infrastructure. The measures aim to speed up the number of planning approvals by allowing planning officers to make more decisions on schemes and empower councils to set their own planning fees to invest in the “over-stretched” system.

Dr Wei Yang OBE, chair of CIC said: "The Planning and Infrastructure Bill represents a significant opportunity to address some of the pressing challenges in our built environment.

By streamlining planning processes, we can accelerate the delivery of much-needed homes and infrastructure while fostering innovation and collaboration across disciplines.

The emphasis on strategic spatial planning is particularly welcome, as it aligns with our vision for creating sustainable, well-designed communities. However, it is crucial that these reforms prioritise sustainability and social equity, ensuring that new developments contribute to collective well-being, environmental resilience and long-term prosperity."

CIC has long campaigned for many of the measures contained within the Bill and has made its case in responses to several housing and planning consultations initiated by Labour since it came to power last June. Measures CIC has called for include the reintroduction of strategic planning to streamline the planning process, provide specialist expertise and look at what is needed across regions, rather than on a local authority basis. CIC has also called for greater resources for overstretched planning authorities and more funding for social housing.

CIC welcomes allowing planners to set their own fees to aid resourcing issues. But it cautions that these freedoms must run alongside upskilling planners so that more homes are built but also that they are high-quality, future-proof developments and integrate well into local communities.

Dr Yang remarked: “CIC looks forward to working with government delivering growth through much needed new homes and infrastructure. For planners to play their part and new strategic authorities to be successful they both must be well resourced and supported.”