Planning Reforms Vital for the Building Industry

As the next general election looms, the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) has called on the next government to look closely at the current planning regulations. Over the past few years, there have been a number of changes made to the system, some of which have aimed to speed up the process and reduce the amount of red tape that is involved. However, the Association believes that this lack of regulation has had an impact on the building industry and could be detrimental to the future growth of the sector.

Inadequate Planning System

Speaking ahead of the election in May, the TCPA believes that the constant changes that are being made to the planning system are having an impact on our urban spaces and countryside. The entire process could even be lost if the changes continue in the same vein.

It believes that rather than deregulation, the right planning regulations are needed to ensure that we build houses at the rate required. If the supply of properties continues to lag behind demand, it could be the planning regulations that actually improve the situation.

The TCPA wants the new government to act within its first 100 days in office to mark out planning as an essential component of its housing policy. This will highlight to all involved that it intends to tackle the housing crisis and help the market to get back to pre-recession levels.

Manifesto Aims

The pre-election manifesto launched by the TCPA includes putting equality, climate change and social justice at the centre of any planning decisions. It also wants to see improved city planning and the need for councils to work better together in order to meet the need for housing in individual areas. Through all of these elements, it hopes that a new government can improve the housing situation through better use of the planning system.

As the housing market continues to pick up, more potential buyers are looking for the right properties. These could be starter homes or large family properties with a balcony railing. However, with not enough homes available for those looking to buy, the situation will not improve completely until the planning system has the right values in place. The overall desire of the TCPA in their manifesto is to have a good and solid planning system in place that will help create better houses for people to live in.