HCLG committee ‘unpersuaded’ that government planning reforms will make system quicker

Inside Housing reports that the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee published its first report on the future of the planning system in England.

The report includes a chapter on small sites and rural areas. The report expressed concern over “the lack of detail” in the government’s vision for a new zonal planning system in England, which included proposals to split the planning system into three categories of development zones (growth, renewal and protected) and replacing Section 106 agreements and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) with a single Infrastructure Levy. The report said the lack of details about the three areas approach has made it difficult to assess how it would function and MPs suggested considering the inclusion of additional categories.

The report also called for greater detail on proposals to scrap Section 106 agreements and CIL and replace them with an Infrastructure Levy. It said: “The government must clarify how it will replicate the binding nature of Section 106 agreements and which parts of the approach will be retained. If they cannot be easily replicated, especially without creating additional complexity, then we recommend retaining Section 106 agreements.”

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Inside Housing - HCLG committee ‘unpersuaded’ that government planning reforms will make system quicker and more democratic