Sean Coleman Jnr, Land and Planning Assistant, gives his views on why a more predictable planning system is essential for increasing housing delivery:
I’ve always had a real interest in housing and planning policy because it’s one of those areas where small changes can have a huge impact on whether homes actually get built.
Whenever the Government talks about increasing housing delivery, the focus tends to be on targets. But setting ambitious numbers is one thing. Creating a planning system that helps deliver them is something else entirely.
From my perspective, one of the biggest frustrations is the lack of certainty.
No one expects every planning application to sail through, and nor should they. Planning is about balancing competing interests, and there will always be difficult decisions. The problem is when the process becomes unpredictable. Similar applications can receive very different treatment depending on where they’re submitted, timescales often drift, and applicants can spend months waiting without any real idea of when a decision will be made.
That uncertainty affects everyone. Developers think twice about committing investment, landowners are less inclined to bring sites forward, and local communities are left waiting for homes, infrastructure and regeneration that everyone agrees are needed.
I’m not suggesting the answer is to weaken the planning system or remove local input. Quite the opposite. Good planning should be robust. But it should also be consistent and efficient.
If applicants know what’s expected of them, if policies are applied consistently and if decisions are made within reasonable timescales, the whole process becomes more effective. Even when permission isn’t granted, there’s value in reaching a clear decision quickly rather than allowing applications to drift.
Planning reform isn’t just about changing legislation. It’s about giving people confidence in the system. Confidence encourages investment, brings more land forward for development and, ultimately, helps deliver more homes.
If we’re serious about tackling the housing shortage, creating a planning system that is quicker, more predictable and properly resourced would be a good place to start.
You need only listen to the news once in a while to know that planning policy is constantly evolving and understanding how those changes affect land value and development potential has never been more important. If you’d like to discuss the opportunities for your land or portfolio, get in touch with Colear Strategic Land.
