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More than 100 businesses call for 'clear legal imperative' for planning decisions to align with net zero and nature-facing legislation
More than 100 firms in the UK building and construction sector have today called on the government to reform the UK's planning rules in order to accelerate the net zero transition and nature restoration, warning that the current system is "not fit for purpose".
A joint letter to the government published by the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) today, which has been backed by more than 100 firms in the sector, calls for the proposed Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill to be amended in order to better align the planning system with the UK's legal climate and nature obligations.
Addressed to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as well as secretaries of state Michael Gove, Thérèse Coffey, and Grant Shapps, the letter argues the proposed legislation - which sets out various plans to reform the UK's planning system - should be more closely aligned with the existing Climate Change Act 2008 and the 2021 Environment Act, both of which set out legally-binding green targets for the government.
The letter describes the present planning system as "not fit for purpose" in providing a consistent approach to handling climate change and environmental considerations, and argues that current legal duties and planning policies have proven "insufficient".
As such, signatories of the letter - which include a host of low carbon concrete firms, architects and building consultants, as well as representatives from the likes of Atkins, BNP Paribas Real Estate and Building With Nature - warn that the current system risks further holding back the net zero transition through costly delays and legal challenges.
Moreover, the coalition warn that many local communities continue to see unsustainable, unpopular development built in unsuitable locations, such as the thousands of homes that have been built on floodplains without sufficient mitigation, for example. As such, without action to align with green legislation, planning policy could risks "going backwards" and undermining vital investment, the letter argues.
The letter also criticises "bureaucratic restrictions" on low carbon technology and calls for the development of efforts to consistently measure and integrate emissions and climate resilience factors when granting planning permission.
Louise Hutchins, UKGBC head of policy and public affairs, argued that England's inconsistent planning system risked failing to deliver the change needed to tackle the climate and nature breakdown.
"Our business and local authority members are faced with endless barriers, delays and legal challenges to the kind of low carbon nature-friendly development we all want to see," she said. "Today we're urging the government to back simple changes to planning law through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill that can help fix this."
It is not the first time in recent months that the UK's planning system has been criticised for holding back the net zero and nature restoration agendas, with green energy firms in particular repeatedly voicing frustration at the long waiting times they face in getting projects built and connected to the power grid. Offshore wind developers routinely forced to wait six years to secure planning approval, while some solar developers have faced waiting times of up to 15 years to secure grid connections.
Last month, National Grid ESO responded to growing green energy planning concerns with a series of proposed reforms to speed up the process, while Labour is also plotting a major overhaul of the UK's planning system to rapidly accelerate the build out of renewable energy capacity should it win the next election.
As such, UKGBC said aligning planning reform with climate goals had strong backing from the public as well as a wide variety of businesses and other stakeholders, including the UK's Climate Change Committee (CCC). Proposals to reform the planning system to support the net zero transition were also recommended in the Net Zero Review earlier this year helmed by Conservative MP Chris Skidmore.
"By introducing a clear legal imperative for planning decisions at all levels to align with our Climate Change and Environment Acts, we can unlock huge investment and momentum towards the beautiful neighbourhoods and low carbon infrastructure the country urgently needs," added Hutchins.
The UK government has been consulting on plans that could ease planning restrictions for some green developments such as new onshore wind farms, but it has yet to fully detail its plans.
The government was considering a request for comment at the time of going to press.
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