Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has said overhauling planning rules to bypass local authorities will remove “chaos and subjectiveness” from the system. She made the statement having overturned a Planning Inspector’s refusal of an application for a new prison next to HMP Garth in Lancashire.
The planned changes will give local authority planning officers the power to rubberstamp development proposals without permission from council committees, as long as they comply with locally agreed plans and national regulations on standards.
House builders have broadly welcomed the streamlining but the Conservatives have accused Labour of “ignoring” communities.
In this interview, I explain what has happened, what is next, and the likely consequences.