The new government’s King’s Speech has the Planning and Infrastructure Bill as one of its flagship measures. It’s point two out in the ‘ten things to know from the King’s Speech’ put out by Number 10.
A fight about reforming planning to build more homes is one the Labour government is very keen to have. It contrasts with topics such as women’s or trans-rights, where any challenge will get closed down very quickly. There will be a full day’s debate on planning, green belt and rural affairs in Parliament today (Friday).
When the Planning and Infrastructure Bill appears (it isn’t immediately ready), it is likely to be mostly technical. Arrangements for re-imposing housing targets may not need the Bill, as the government can change the National Planning Policy Framework without needing to change the law. Michael Gove did not remove the requirement for a five-year land supply, just disapplied it for most; Labour can just reapply it.
In the briefing notes for the King’s Speech, the Bill will include “improving local planning decision making by modernising planning committees”. What that means we will wait to see.
The Bill is also going to use development “to fund nature recovery where currently both are stalled”, a proposal which sounds like a Panglossian idea from a think tank but may be made to work; it shows the government is still sensitive on environmental issues, after Labour in opposition insisted on keeping bio-diversity net gain requirements.
Other parts of the King’s Speech will have a major impact. The English Devolution Bill is likely to replace the ad hoc arrangements for the combined Mayoralties with something more consistent and more powerful: they will get more strategic planning powers. It isn’t clear how this applies to London where the Mayor already has almost complete control.
Some restrictions on landlords in the Renters Rights Bill may affect the rental market, with possible knock-on effects on financing build to rent and co-living schemes. There is also a draft bill to end the leasehold system, a reform which many Labour MPs representing urban constituencies will ensure is not dropped and which will affect developers of flats.
Nowhere to be found in the King’s Speech briefing notes was the phrase “Green Belt”. Rather than indicate rowing back on the approach of reviewing Green Belt locations to identify ‘grey belt’ development opportunities, this is because no law is needed, but it does show a degree of sensitivity.
A government with a working majority of 180 will have no problems getting its legislation through, and almost none of it is controversial within Labour – so far. The many new Labour MPs elected in seats with housing pressure and covering parts of the Green Belt all remain on board, most knowing their voters were people who want more homes built.
That will be important because this is not a light legislative programme, and if any of the Bills hit problems and had to be reconsidered, delays might be difficult to accommodate.
David Boothroyd, Head of Research at Thorncliffe