The Changing of the Guard: a Closer Look at Labour’s Promises for Planning and Development
We’re waking up to a new, Labour-led government, the first in 14 years.
So what, if anything, can we expect will change for the built environment?
There have been promises-a-plenty and lots of encouraging statements indicating a pro-growth approach. If we are to believe this Times article, we should expect to hear at least three different housing announcements in the next fortnight, giving an indication of the new government’s focus and commitment to the sector.
But as with most things, the devil is in the detail.
As we embark on a new era of Labour-led governance, what should we be looking out for?
A Boost to Housing Delivery
WHAT?
Of course, both main parties talked this up considerably during their election campaigns. The question is, what is the right approach to actually achieve the goal?
Labour has made no bones of saying it will reinstate housing targets dropped in December 2023 during the latest NPPF review. The party also pledged to require local planning authorities to revisit its Green Belt boundaries “regularly”, both of which would help to unlock sites for housing, again signalling a direct reversal of recent Conservative changes.
One of its boldest pledges is to build “a new generation of new towns” which, Rayner said at the recent UKREiiF conference, would be built “within months, not decades”.
OUR RESPONSE
Housing delivery – or lack of – has been a priority for as long as we can remember. So it’s hugely positive to see Labour committing to doing what it can to boost delivery, including reinstating local planning authorities’ requirement to review Green Belt boundaries at local plan reviews. However, enabling Green Belt reviews does not mean that Green Belt release will be successful. We only need to look at the current uncertainties surrounding Oldham Council’s position on Greater Manchester’s Places for Everyone plan to be reminded that local politics doesn’t always mirror the national position.
With such an acute housing crisis, the bold response of building new towns seems apt, and the legacy of development corporations across the country shows that when the nation plans and builds boldly, we see huge benefits.
We are excited to hear more of these plans.
But, a word of caution.
Bold promises have been made before and planning is inherently political. The previous, Conservative, government also made bold promises for planning reform which were ultimately rowed back on following a backbench rebellion. New towns are a brilliant and bold idea. But the reality of delivering them is very different. This bold promise will now need to be translated into primary (and then secondary) legislation, each stage of which will need to secure a majority in both houses of parliament. Today’s landslide result will be hugely important in helping Labour to pass the all-important legislation to make their new towns pledge a reality.
Crucially, these new towns will rely on big infrastructure investments, so Labour’s promised ten-year infrastructure strategy and new infrastructure government agency will need to be effective if we are to see this “generation” of new towns brought to bear.
An Updated NPPF
WHAT?
The centrepiece of national planning policy is to be updated, we are told, and not just “soon” but within the next 100 days.
This is ostensibly to reverse recent changes made by the Conservative government to water down housing targets.
OUR RESPONSE
With five updates or new versions of the NPPF since 2018, the industry is shouting out for stability in our national planning policy. However, clearly any update which reverses the aforementioned changes are certainly welcomed.
The NPPF has changed significantly since its grand entry into the world in 2012. Not only has it steadily grown in length, it has grown in complexity too. We want to see the new NPPF getting back its roots: written in plain English and offering pro-growth guidance that gives clarity and direction on national issues – and leaving local decision makers to set their own policies on matters like “beauty”.
Another unknown is whether the new government will push ahead with the Conservative plan to make the NPPF part of the development plan (rather than an important material consideration).
Resourcing the Planning System
WHAT?
Labour has pledged to provide funding for an additional 300 planning officers across England.
OUR RESPONSE
We can’t argue with the fact that the system desperately needs additional funding. But while 300 new personnel would be welcomed, with 370 local planning authorities across England, this equates to less than one new officer each. As the Financial Times has calculated, that will replace less than a tenth of the planners who left public service between 2010 and 2020. One new member of staff (if you’re lucky) is unlikely to make a tangible difference.
The reality is that local planning authorities up and down the country are heavily overburdened and need to be significantly supported. Yet with a national skills crisis and a post-graduate level of training required to become a town planner, where are these new officers going to come from? This shouldn’t be merely a numbers exercise – we need thoughtful, well-trained and passionate professionals in our local planning authorities.
Moving From Promises to Action
The new Labour government gave us plenty of positive soundbites during its campaign. A perfect example was their manifesto pledge to “unlock the nutrient neutrality crisis without weakening environmental protections”. The “how”, so far, is missing.
Now it’s time they flesh out the details, roll up their sleeves and get delivering. The unfortunate reality of politics is that too often leaders don’t deliver on party promises. While Labour is saying all the right things, we mustn’t forget that our planning system is a democratic one – and highly politicised!
The delivery of new homes is likely to remain controversial in many areas, particularly when it comes to Green Belt release. Just as was the case for their political predecessors forging ahead with the original new towns, it will take guts and strong leadership to press on in the face of likely political resistance. The recent rumblings of disquiet in Oldham’s corridors of power is a case in point.
Professionals from across the development industry are clear on one thing: we need stability in the planning system, rather than the uncertainty and change which has beset the industry over recent years.
We need a housing minister that sticks around for the long haul, promptly implements clear changes that achieve timely decision making and support housing delivery in particular, and then, importantly, stops tinkering. Let’s hope we have this in Angela Rayner.
As it shifts from the opposition bench into the corridors of power, our new Labour government must continue to listen to the industry and be prepared to make politically unpopular decisions, if it is to move beyond positive soundbites and achieve meaningful change.
Get in touch to discuss how the change in government might affect your development site or proposal’s route through the planning system.
