Sam Stafford's Blog

Episode number 120 of the podcast is available now via this link or from iTunes and Spotify . I was in Manchester recently and took the opportunity to catch up with friends of the podcast Greg Dickson and Claire Petricca-Riding . During a conversation recorded at Reform Radio  we talked about another exciting few weeks in the fast-paced, ever-changing, rock and roll world of town and country planning. We talked about RPs not bidding for Section 106 sites; the 'Accelerated Planning System' consultation (the proposals for a new Section 73B, a ten week determination period for major commercial applications, and restrictions on the use of extension of time agreements); and the Flood Risk Sequential Test. We also touched on the Government response to a consultation on operational reforms to the NSIP process.

There is a sense among some that Labour is 'keeping it's powder dry' on housing and planning so as 'not to scare the horses', but actually, when you compile everything that has been put into the public domain, the future direction of policy is relatively easy to discern. This is that compilation, which takes in a couple of press releases (and, importantly, the 'notes to editors'), a policy paper, an extract from a Westminster Hall debate, and Sunday Times and FT articles. ‘How’, not ‘if’: Labour will jump start planning to build 1.5 million homes and save the dream of homeownership Oct 10, 2023 https://labour.org.uk/updates/press-releases/how-not-if-labour-will-jump-start-planning-to-build-1-5-million-homes-and-save-the-dream-of-homeownership/ Labour’s Housing Recovery Plan Upon entering office, the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Angela Rayner, will publish a Written Ministerial Statement and write to...

Episode number 119 of the podcast is available now via this link or from iTunes and Spotify . In Hitting the High Notes episodes like this one I chat to preeminent figures in the planning and property sectors about the six planning permissions or projects that helped to shape them as professionals. And, so that Listeners can get to know people a little better personally, for every project or stage of their career I also ask my guests for a piece of music that reminds them of that period. It's town planning’s equivalent of Desert Island Discs. Unlike Desert Island Discs you will not hear any of that music during the episode because using commercially-licensed music without the copyright holders permission or a very expensive PRS licensing agreement could land me in hot water, so, when you have finished listening, you will have to make do with YouTube videos and a Spotify playlist, links to which you will find in the description. My guest for this episode is Nick Kilby , founder an...

"In today’s Autumn Statement for Growth our choice is not big government, high spending and high tax because we know that leads to less growth, not more. Instead we reduce debt, cut taxes and reward work. We deliver world class education. We build domestic sustainable energy. And we back British business with 110 growth measures – don’t worry, I’m not going to go through them all – but in summary they… …remove planning red tape …speed up access to the national grid …support entrepreneurs raising capital …get behind our fastest growing industries …unlock foreign direct investment …boost productivity …reform welfare …level up opportunity to every corner of the country …and cut business taxes." So the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, began his speech introducing the Autumn Statement last November, with the scourge of that dastardly planning red tape very much front and centre. "It takes too long to approve infrastructure projects and business planning applications. Many businesses...