DCN gives evidence to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee inquiry into the future of the planning system

In our evidence, published within the committee’s final report, we argue that radical reform of the planning system is not required to achieve the government’s objectives as set out in the white paper. We support the ambition to digitise and simplify the local plan process, but believe the existing planning system is already achieving or, with carefully managed change, has the potential to achieve those aims and objectives.

We highlight our concerns that the white paper provided no analysis of recent reforms to the planning system such as the extension of permitted development rights, the five-year land supply and the presumption in favour of sustainable development, to inform its proposals, and call for government to recognise that it is the housing delivery system that is broken, not the planning system.

The government wants to deliver more homes but provides no tools for councils to ensure delivery or incentives for builders to break their absorption rate delivery models.

Read the HCLG Committee report into the future of planning here.