Amendments to Planning and Infrastructure Bill would see ministers able to issue ‘holding directions’ to stop councils refusing planning permission whilst they consider using ‘call-in’ powers 

Under existing rules, ministers can only issue holding directions on planning applications when councils are set to approve applications.

However, the proposed amendments would allow ministers to issue these holds to prevent applications being refused by local councils, while they consider using call-in powers to decide whether or not they should be approved, the Government announced on Tuesday (13 October).

It said changes to the Bill – which is about to enter the report stage in the House of Lords after having passed through the Commons – would tackle instances in which councils are "dragging their feet".

The plans also propose to prevent planning permissions for approved major housing schemes from being timed out during lengthy judicial reviews.

Other proposals would see faster approvals for large housing schemes, reservoir applications, and clean energy projects, including onshore windfarms.

Natural England will also be given greater freedom over when to provide advice to local authorities, allowing it to focus on higher-priority planning applications and nature recovery, the Government said.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: "Britain's potential has been shackled by governments unwilling to overhaul the stubborn planning system that has erected barriers to building at every turn. It is simply not true that nature has to lose for economic growth to succeed.

"Sluggish planning has real world consequences. Every new house blocked deprives a family of a home. Every infrastructure project that gets delayed blocks someone from a much-needed job. This will now end."

The Secretary of State, who took over from Angela Rayner last month, added: "The changes we are making today will strengthen the seismic shift already underway through our landmark Bill. We will 'Build, baby, build' with 1.5 million new homes and communities that working people desperately want and need."

The amendments have been met with pushback from countryside charity CPRE, which raised concern about the removal of "vital" legal safeguards.

CPRE chief executive Roger Mortlock said: "These eleventh hour amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill represent a dangerous erosion of democracy. They are an astounding capitulation to the same big developers that have consistently failed to deliver the homes people need. 

"The Housing Secretary claims that sluggish planning has 'real world consequences'. So too would the removal of vital legal safeguards. Blocking judges from halting approvals while legal challenges proceed would allow unlawful projects to cause irreversible damage to communities, wildlife and the wider environment."

He also criticised plans to hand ministers more powers to call in planning applications, claiming they "further strips communities of their voice in decisions that affect their areas".

Adam Carey