On behalf of CPA and WPA members, London Property Alliance has submitted its response to the Planning Reform Working Paper on Planning Committees published on 9 December 2024.
In the submission, the Alliance welcomes the Government’s ambition to speed up the planning process to unlock economic growth and agrees in principle with streamlining existing planning committee processes, including introducing a national scheme of delegation and mandating training for committee members.
However, we note that any changes coming forward should be mindful that:
- Decisions made via committee are a cornerstone of the planning system and, in many instances, necessary to ensure that fair and justified decisions are made.
- Sufficient flexibility should be included in any new processes to avoid creating areas of legal vulnerability which could create considerable delays and costs through increased susceptibility to legal challenge.
