THE Government has announced a shake-up in planning laws that 'in theory' will speed up the process of getting permission to expand airports or build power stations and roads. looks at the key points.

As Tony Blair gets ever closer to leaving Number 10, there has been a spate of new policy announcements by the Government. One of these is the Planning White Paper.

This is a consultation paper seeking responses from the public by August 17, 2007. It sets out a series of proposals with the aim of speeding up the town and country planning system and making it more efficient.

Key Infrastructure:

In the past key infrastructure projects, such as Heathrow Terminal 5, have taken many years to obtain consent before construction works can start.

The White Paper proposes that in the future the Government will publish National Policy Statements (NPS) for key infrastructure sectors setting out the need for nationally important infrastructure such as airports, large road schemes and power stations. These NPS may also identify the particular locations for the infrastructure.

While there would be periods of consultation and Parliamentary scrutiny, the fear has been raised by certain lobby groups that this will mean Government centrally controlling where large infrastructure is to be located.

The Government is also setting up an independent Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) that will make the final decision as to whether permission should be granted.

The Government is seeking to ensure that the IPC inquiry system is straightforward so members of the public can engage in the process. The question remains, however, as to the scope the IPC will have to refuse permission for, example, a new power station.

Permitted Development:

The Government is proposing to extend the amount of development that is termed ‘permitted development’ so that more works can be undertaken to a house without the need for planning permission, for example, solar panels.

This is not, as some commentators have stated, a carte blanche for householders to extend their houses without the need for planning permission.

Once the changes are in place there will still be set limits on those works that can be undertaken without the need to expressly apply for planning permission.

* Jason Towell is the head of the Planning and Environment Team at Cripps Harries Hall LLP, solicitors.