As part of the Plan for Growth, the British Property Federation is recommending more recruitment for planning officers
3,000 extra planning officers over the next five years will be needed, according to the BPF.
They argue that this will embed gains from the planning reform.
Extra planning officers are part of other priorities
The 3,000 extra planning officers would be a move to capitalise on the devolution of planning by the government for local authorities as well as the re-organisations of local governments.
Further recruitment would give the extra capacity needed to deliver proposed new spatial development strategies and support the new role that mayors will play in major planning applications.
The BPF argues that these planners could be at least partially funded through the efficiency savings caused by council re-organisation, the introduction of Mayoral Council Tax, and the cost savings from applicants.
The BPF is also calling for more resources to be given to the Building Safety Regulator to allow further delivery of thousands of new homes in the climb towards the 1.5m new homes target. The BPF is offering their services to the government to perform a review to determine how better regulation can help.
“Planning reform remains fundamental to delivering the government’s agenda”
The HBF statement calls for focus on several aspects, including utilising the Plan for Growth and its assessments, outlining steps to increase housing delivery, securing greater investment, and regenerating towns and high streets.
Melanie Leech CBE, chief executive of the British Property Federation, said: “The government has moved at pace in its first few months in office, especially on planning reform. This now needs to be matched by a clear long-term plan to maximise the real estate sector’s full economic, social and environmental potential.
“Planning reform remains fundamental to delivering the Government’s agenda and must be matched by additional capacity to deliver this. An additional 3,000 planners need to be deployed across England to help unlock the full potential of the system changes. On top of this we need urgent action to provide extra resource to key bodies like the Building Safety Regulator, where delays are currently holding back the delivery and occupation of thousands of homes across the country for up to a year.
“We also invite the government to work with us to tackle further regulatory barriers and to address current viability challenges. With this partnership, our plan will help secure the future of our high streets, help to deliver new homes of all tenures, and could generate 25% of the UK’s future clean energy needs.”
