8 INDUSTRY NEWS
BPF makes proposals for accelerated planning
An Accelerated Planning Manifesto has been launched by The British Property Federation (BPF), containing industry perspectives on the practical ways in which the existing planning system can be made more efficient, as well as focusing on specific areas of the system that the BPF believes deserve greater attention from central Government.
These reforms are intended to help create a “better funded, responsive and transparent planning system, which would support development in the right places at the right time.”
The manifesto highlights resourcing as the key issue for the planning system, with per person spending on planning falling by 55 per cent since 2010. Other key proposals include that: •The Government should do more to ensure that Local Plans are updated and aim for all local authorities to have an up- to-date plan by 2021.
•The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government should publish good practice guidance for the use of Planning Performance Agreements. •Greater thought should be given to creating more structured and consistent engagement prior to committee determi- nation, which could help to resolve concerns and issues relating to a planning application before a formal planning
committee meeting. •A greater use of Local Development Orders to help free up local planning officers’ time to deal with more complex schemes.
•The Government should encourage Local Planning Authorities to publish model Section 106 clauses and model conditions to assist their planning officers in dealing with applications in an efficient and consistent manner.
Launching the Accelerated Planning Manifesto, Melanie Leech CBE, chief executive of the BPF, said: “The English planning system never stands still, and the recommendations put forward to government in this manifesto are a reflec- tion that there are many opportunities to make the existing plan-led system work better. These improvements will be important if we are to accelerate delivery of the homes and development that the country needs. “There is no single solution for creating
an accelerated planning system, but resourcing must be a priority for the next government going forward. Together with more investment from the private sector, a future government must commit to better funding local government to ensure it can deliver more effective planning outcomes for all who interact with the process.”
A coalition of business groups and organi- sations from across the property and construction sectors joined forces during the election campaign to urge the new UK government to cut VAT on maintenance and improvement works to people’s homes.
According to the coalition, which includes the Federation of Master Builders and the British Property Federation, reducing VAT from 20 per cent to 5 per cent on home improvement works would unleash investment in housing, stimulate the economy, and enable the UK’s transi- tion to net zero carbon.
The coalition wrote to each of the leaders of Westminster’s four largest parties, asking them to speak for the ‘Cut the VAT’ campaign during the remainder of the General Election campaign and to meet with the coalition early in the next Parliament. The members believe this is vital in order to “green” the nation’s homes, with domestic buildings responsi- ble for around 20 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions.
In addition to improving the standards of older homes, and those in rural areas, it is also believed this measure would help unleash investment in new housing. The Build-to-rent (BTR) sector, for example, has grown from fewer than 30,000 homes to 148,000 homes in the last five years – and delivered a quarter of London’s housing output last year. By reducing the irrecoverable VAT associated with maintenance and management of BTR, the sector could deliver even more, the letter said.
Melanie Leech, chief executive of the British Property Federation, commented: “Reducing the rate of VAT on all repairs, maintenance and management of residen- tial property would support the greening and improvement of our housing stock, and help the build to rent sector deliver more homes. We therefore urge the next Government to support the Cut the VAT.”
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Cutting VAT could unleash green housing revolution
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