Aisling Byrne is a Senior Public Affairs Officer at the RTPI
On 24 March the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will have its Second Reading in the House of Commons.
What is Second Reading?
This will be the first opportunity for MPs to debate the main principles of the Bill. At the end of the debate the Commons will vote and decide whether the Bill can proceed to the next stage of the legislative process – Committee Stage – where the Bill will be further scrutinised clause by clause.
RTPI’s overview Bill
On the whole, the Bill represents a productive step in the right direction towards the reform that the planning system has recognised is needed and has been waiting to put into action. There are areas of the Bill which present the opportunity to be further enhanced and supported by the RTPI’s key legislative asks.
We have also stressed the need for legislative reforms to be considerate of the context in which they will be implemented. Our priority areas for consideration during legislative scrutiny which we shared in February highlight the need for capacity and resourcing issues to be addressed. The power introduced in the Bill for income from planning fees or charges to be applied towards the delivery of functions is a practical announcement, but we hope to see further ambition in bolstering planning services to go alongside this re-investment, through a long-term resourcing and capacity strategy.
Strengthening local decision-making
A new national scheme of delegation in England was announced and whilst we look forward to contributing to the consultation yet to come, there is no doubt that the establishment of a statutory Chief Planning Officer in every Local Planning Authority would support this new scheme and place competency and accountability at the heart of local decision-making.
As more significant planning applications go to Committee under the new scheme of delegation, ensuring that the public are engaging with the planning process will continue to be of vital importance. RTPI are calling for there to be the provision of virtual and hybrid Planning Committees to increase accessibility and ensuring that a range of voices and lived experiences are reflected within the planning process.
Similarly, in order for planners, the public and stakeholders to better understand their vital role and coordinate under a shared vision to deliver for the long-term public interest, the RTPI believes the Bill should include a clear “purpose of planning”.
A strategic vision
The Government have asserted their commitment to strategic planning in the Bill, a reintroduction which the RTPI and our members have long campaigned for. We are making the proposal to MPs scrutinising the Bill, that the development of a National Spatial Framework would go that bit further in strategically coordinating between local, regional and national strategies and plans.
Community benefits for the public good
Recognising the need for provisions of community benefits that align with the intention of the planning system, we highlight that the RTPI wants to see contributions towards provisions for community and environmental improvements that lead to long-term benefits instead of the electricity bill discounts which have been proposed in the Bill. Pointing towards the Community funds for transmission infrastructure guidance published recently by DESNZ, we’ll be looking out for a similar style review of guidance relating to community benefit but covering a wider range of development types.
If you would like to find out more about the RTPI’s response to the Bill, you can find our Briefing for Parliamentarians ahead of Second Reading in our Planning Reform 2025 Hub.
