A new report by the Good Growth Foundation argues that empowering council officers to approve developments without referring to local planning committees could be key to accelerating the delivery of new homes across England.
The report, Rapid Reforms: Bringing Growth to the Front Door, outlines a set of ‘high-impact’ planning reforms aimed at helping local authorities and the Government meet the target of 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament.
Key Recommendations for Boosting the Housing Supply
The report recommends several measures that the think tank argues would boost housing delivery, including:
- Empowering council officers to approve planning applications directly, speeding up decision-making.
- Activating National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) to provide consistent, national planning rules.
- Removing the current 500-home cap on housing consents tied to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs).
- Introducing Street Votes, a system to allow residents to democratically approve home extensions and small-scale infill development, increasing localised support for densification.
Potential Impact on Housing Delivery and Local Investment
According to the Good Growth Foundation, implementing these reforms could result in an additional 229,000 to 280,000 homes being delivered over the next four years. It could also generate £4.7–5.7bn in fiscal headroom by 2029–30, supporting wider investment in community infrastructure and public services.
Political Backing for a Locally Driven Approach
Chris Curtis MP, chair of the Labour Growth Group and MP for Milton Keynes North, endorsed the report’s vision in his foreword: ‘This paper set out by the Good Growth Foundation provides a route forward. By identifying ways to utilise draft and existing legislation, it offers a swift way to deliver more housing and headroom.
‘This promises a huge potential windfall of investment in communities and infrastructure—a blueprint for showcasing what a Labour Government can do at pace for communities across the country.’
