It has been another exciting few weeks in the fast-paced, ever-changing rock and roll world of town and country planning...

“Thousands of new homes promised to communities will be delivered faster, thanks to major changes to make sure developers deliver on their commitments and do not leave sites half-finished for years”, announced a MHCLG press release on Sunday 25 May.

“This government has taken radical steps to overhaul the planning system to get Britain building again after years of inaction. In the name of delivering security for working people, we are backing the builders not the blockers. Now it’s time for developers to roll up their sleeves and play their part”, said Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner.

A planning reform working paper on speeding up build out ​​and a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve build out transparency​ were published by MHCLG on the same day.

Then a few days later, on Wednesday 28 May, another MHCLG press release announced that the Government backs SME builders to get Britain building.

“Smaller housebuilders must be the bedrock of our Plan for Change to build 1.5 million homes and fix the housing crisis we’ve inherited – and get working people on the housing ladder. For decades the status quo has failed them and it’s time to level the playing field. Today we’re taking urgent action to make the system simpler, fairer and more cost effective, so smaller housebuilders can play a crucial role in our journey to get Britain building”, said Ms Rayner.

A planning reform working paper on reforming site thresholds; a technical consultation on the reform of planning committees; and an open consultation on improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development were published by MHCLG and DEFRA on the same day.

What is to be made of all of that,?

Helpfully, Sam Stafford was in London recently and was able to solicit some expert opinion and insight from old friends of the podcast Andrew Taylor, Simon Ricketts and Shelly Rouse, and new friends of the podcast Gordon Adams and Rachel Clements.

In a conversation recorded over the space of an hour or so at Soho Radio Studios they tried to get through as much of this latest round of consultations as they could. They talked about the plight of the SME builder and the merits of the proposed medium site category; they talked about who does and does not bring land forward and why; and they touched on BNG and the proposed national scheme of delegation.

Some accompanying reading.

‘Get on and Build' Deputy Prime Minister urges housebuilders

Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out ​​

Technical consultation on implementing measures to improve Build Out transparency​

Government backs SME builders to get Britain building

Planning Reform Working Paper: Reforming Site Thresholds

Reform of planning committees: technical consultation

Improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development

Simon on build out

Simon on the broader SME package

Claire Petricca-Riding on the BNG proposals

The Future of SME Builders in England

SM sites for SME builders

How long is a piece of string?

Modernising Planning Committees National Survey 2025

New clause briefing: Chief Planning Officers

Some accompanying listening

Crazy, Crazy Nights- Kiss

Any other business.

50 Shades T-Shirts!

If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning you will have heard Clive Betts say that...

'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'.

Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here.

Sam is on Bluesky (@samuelstafford.bsky.social) and Instagram (@samuel__stafford). His blog contains a link to his newsletter.