Written by Alex Sabin

The new Labour Government has wasted little time in reiterating its commitment to unblocking planning and unlocking development – with high-profile interventions from Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds on the subject having taken place since the election.

In practice – and despite the Government’s landslide majority – some changes will be more gradual than others, especially those requiring primary legislation. A key priority for the coming weeks will be to continue to update policy where it can easily be updated and to maintain the positive ‘mood music’ – and indeed pressure – which will encourage investment and bold decision-making as the more involved reforms are worked through.

An updated National Planning Policy Framework

A key milestone to watch out for will be the publication of a draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) – which will take place before Parliament rises for the summer recess. Labour has already ended the effective moratorium on on-shore wind farms that had been in place since 2015, signalling its intent to drive forward new ‘green’ infrastructure projects across the country. Key policy priorities we can expect to see reflected in the draft NPPF include:

• A review of so-called ‘grey belt’ land, with a view to unlocking development opportunities on poor quality/unattractive sites on the Green Belt
• The restoration of mandatory housing targets for local authorities – putting pressure on more intransigent authorities to deliver or face sanctions

The draft NPPF will be consulted on through the Autumn and the Government will be keen to see the updated version implemented as quickly as possible – a prerequisite for meeting the ambitious commitments it has made.

Housebuilding Bill and renters’ rights

The King’s Speech included substantial planning-related reforms in line with the Government’s emphasis on house-building and infrastructure delivery and its growth agenda. Kanda will be deep diving into some of these bills in the coming days, but the scale and the reach of the first phase of legalisation is significant. There is a strong suggestion that there may be more to come from Labour in the coming months.

These bills will be debated over the coming months following the summer recess and the Government will want to use its majority and its mandate to push its agenda through as quickly as it can – while allowing for sufficient scrutiny to ensure that new laws are good ones.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is expected to flesh out how the Government plans to deliver on its target of 1.5 million new homes over the Parliament, as well as the transport, energy and wider infrastructure that will be required to support this. A consultation is expected on measures to compel local authorities to allocate sites for development and reforms are expected to limit the potential for local opposition to prevent developments going forward.

Meanwhile, the English Devolution Bill will set out the Government’s agenda for empowering metro mayors and combined authorities to develop local growth plans.

The Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill will confirm the Government’s plans for reform in this area – Labour has committed itself to eventually abolishing the leasehold system but it is anticipated that this will be a gradual process.

The Government will also confirm plans for renters’ reform within the Renters’ Rights Bill – including the abolition of ‘no fault’ evictions (a key manifesto commitment). It is planning to extend ‘Awaab’s Law’ – a requirement that social landlords address health concerns such as damp and mould in short order – to cover private renters.

A quick start on a long road

As ever, it is far easier to announce commitments and policies than it is to legislate and deliver. The Government benefits from an enormous majority and a clear manifesto mandate – which provides ministers – and the sector – with the reassurance that it will get its way on planning reform, sooner or later.

It’s clear that the Government is aware of the need for bold talk and swift action to turn its vision of a housing and infrastructure boom over the coming years into a reality. The pro-development, pro-growth rhetoric so far has in itself set a positive tone that ministers will be keen to maintain over the coming months as the gears turn in Whitehall and Westminster.