Housebuilders and planners have welcomed new government proposals which would make it possible for planners to bypass local planning committees to approve developments.

Under proposals announced by the housing secretary (pictured) yesterday, planning officers would be given powers to approve applications without permission from committees of councillors if they comply with local plans and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Angela Rayner’s Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) today published a working paper setting out the proposals, on which it will seek the views of industry.

The working paper will not be subject to a formal consultation, according to MHCLG and will instead be used “to inform discussions with the sector, to determine whether and how to take these proposals forward”.

There is no deadline on the consultation and the government said it would “confirm next steps on these proposals in due course”.

Steve Turner, executive director at the Home Builders Federation, said that improving the efficiency of the planning process would be “essential” in order to accelerate housing supply.

“Whilse democratic involvement and oversight of planning is a fundamental element of the process, it can be very frustrating for applicants to have the principle of development debated over and over again,” he said.

Turner said changes to planning rules were welcome but that improving capacity was also “key”. He also urged greater support for prospective buyers and housing associations.

Dr Victoria Hills, chief executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, also welcomed the changes. “It’s encouraging to see the government explore these options in such an open way,” she said.

“These are the right questions to ask and it is good that the government is prioritising collaboration, transparency and consistency. 

“By empowering qualified planners to implement planning policies, locally elected councillors will have the time to focus on the more significant cases, effectively speeding up the planning process and reducing unnecessary delays.

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“By requiring councillors to undergo appropriate training before joining planning committees, we can ensure planning decisions are made for the greater good of the communities while aligning with national policies.”

Megan Hinch, policy and practice lead on planning at the Chartered Institute of Housing, said it was “good to see the government’s determination” on tackling housing issues but added it was “clear that planning reform alone cannot resolve the housing crisis”.

“We also need to see investment in the spending review, alongside capacity building,” she said.

Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, agreed that while planning was “an essential part” of tackling the housing crisis, the upcoming spending review needed to include “a significant boost in funding for social rented homes and equal access to building safety funding for social landlords”.

Simon Coop, senior director at planning consultancy Lichfields, welcomed the announcement, citing his firm’s research which showed that only sites of 99 dwellings or fewer can, on average, be expected to deliver any homes in the five-year period from the validation of a planning application.

“The package of measures that were included in the draft NPPF – which we expect to be published in the revised NPPF this week – and the additional reforms announced yesterday in terms of fast-tracking the planning process is essential,” he said. 

“Any measure that can accelerate the delivery of housing and bring those times down, without undermining important matters relating to sustainability, are most welcome.”