Healey unveils reforms to take 10,000 applications out of planning system

The government’s latest reforms to the planning system will remove the need for around 10,000 full applications, the planning minister said this week.

John Healey said the changes – recommended by the Killian Pretty review – would allow industrial premises, offices, shops and schools “to quickly and easily undertake minor developments without the need for planning permission”.

Shops will now be able to extend their floor space by up to 50 square metres, while schools, hospitals and universities will be able to build new facilities. These rights will be subject to constraints aimed at minimising the impact on neighbouring properties and the wider environment.

The measures focus on changes to permitted development. The government said it also plans at a later date to make replacement shop fronts and installing cashpoints subject to “a simpler, cheaper and quicker process”.

The minister said: “Taking simpler applications out of the planning system will help councils process major applications faster, and save businesses up to £43m a year. This is in addition to over £120m worth of savings from cutting the amount of information required in planning applications and making planning permissions more flexible.”

The final grant allocations under the £135m Housing and Planning Delivery Grant funding were also unveiled this week.

Earlier this month, the government also announced major cuts to the fees developers and homeowners have to pay to extend planning permissions.