The Red Tape Challenge tackles planning

Not only are there firm proposals for amendment of primary and subordinate legislation to simplify the planning application process (as described in recent posts in this blog), but the government has also announced that it is to take a further look at what Nick Boles has called “unnecessary technical regulations that are no longer needed”.

My colleague David Brock has blogged on this within the past few days, and rather than repeating what he wrote, I would refer readers to David’s blog, which can be accessed by clicking on the link of the left-hand side of this page.

My only reservation about this latest announcement is that it appears to reveal something of a scatter-gun approach on the part of ministers to the business of de-regulation. Getting rid of red tape is very welcome, but the way it is being done suggests a somewhat disorganised and uncoordinated approach to the issue. Nevertheless, so long as the various changes result in the removal of obstacles to the submission, validation and timely determination of planning applications, then this is all to the good.

© MARTIN H GOODALL