Planning changes become law

Mike Gibson, Connectivity Associates Ltd and Vice Chair of the Chamber's Property & Construction Committee

Mike Gibson, Chairman of the Chamber's Property and Construction Committee, has been looking at some of the changes to the planning system which have now become law under the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013:

Key changes allow developers with major schemes to bypass poorly performing planning authorities, provide an opportunity to renegotiate s106 agreements and permit larger house extensions, subject to neighbour consultation.

Under the Act, developers will be able to submit major applications directly to the Planning Inspectorate, in cases where the local authority has consistently failed to deal with applications on time, and will be able to renegotiate s106 agreements that have made a scheme economically unviable.

The new legislation seeks to simplify the system by including a limit on the information a local authority can require to be submitted with a planning application and establishes a streamlined regime, designed to speed up the roll-out of broadband infrastructure in rural areas.

This is good news for the development industry but whether the new rules will achieve the Government’s stated intent of boosting investment, growth and jobs remains to be seen.

And more relaxations are proposed.

To support its aim for a swifter roll-out of 4G mobile broadband, the Government is consulting on proposals that would relax permitted development rules for telecommunication equipment.

The proposed measures would increase the permitted height of antenna on existing buildings from 4 to 6 metres and would allow existing masts to be increased in height up to 20 metres (from 15 metres) without the need for planning permission. It is also proposed to increase the number of antenna systems permitted on existing buildings – from two to three on buildings under 15 metres high and from three to five on buildings above 15 metres. The rules would also treble the size limit of dish antennae – from 1.5 to 4.5 metres on the lower buildings and from 3.5 to 10 metres on the higher ones.

These measures will help to improve mobile coverage and broadband speeds, although it is important that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect sensitive environments. The consultation period will end on 14 June.