What do planning committees really think of Labour's planning reforms?

Co-authored by Perry Miller and Debbie Standen. 

The housing crisis is getting worse and the government’s planning reforms won’t fix it. These are the top takeaways from this year’s National Planning Barometer, SEC Newgate’s annual survey of planning committee members across England. Launched yesterday in Leeds at UKREiiF, the UK’s largest real estate conference, the 2025 Planning Barometer reveals councillors (in our biggest sample to date) to be highly sceptical of the government’s plans to deliver 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament and resistant to any measure they see as a threat to local decision-making.

This is the fifth edition of the Planning Barometer, with our focus this year being the planning reforms and ambitions of the Labour government. That something needs to change in the planning system is clear: 92% of respondents to our survey noted that the UK’s housing crisis continues, or has worsened, over the past year and three out of four councillors say that the housing crisis is severe within their local authority. 

How to get – or indeed, whether we will ever get - those desperately needed homes is at the heart of the debate. Planning committee members totally reject the notion that the planning system is somehow to blame: when asked why the government’s 1.5 million homes plan is unachievable (76% consider it so), just 6% of respondents cited issues with the planning system. Rather, councillors cite skills shortages within the construction industry (33%), developer land banking (19%) and insufficient supporting infrastructure (9%) as the main factors hindering the delivery of homes.

By contrast, research published by Lichfields this week revealed that 10 years ago, 78% of outline applications were decided within a year, whereas in 2024 only 36% were, yet over the same time period, applications decreased by 75%. And that since 2019, appeals have been a quicker route to determination than the local planning authority. 

Debate on the causes and challenges will undoubtedly continue. The government has its agenda and councillors don’t like it. While there’s been a big jump this year in councillors prioritising delivery against housing targets (from 40% to 54%), more than six in ten (63%) oppose the mandatory approach. Feedback was highly critical of what is perceived as a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

As Councillor Rob Waltham, Leader of North Lincolnshire Council and panellist at our launch event explained: “What local authorities want is trust. They understand their areas best and they understand the demographics that drive demand. I would empower local authorities to build the communities they need.”

Helen Fadipe, president of the RTPI and fellow panellist, agreed that a lack of infrastructure to support housing and skills shortages in the sector were contributing factors to slow delivery but added that targets give planners “something to aim for”.

The discussion that followed revealed that, in the main, those at the delivery end of the housing targets within local councils are at one with the Planning Barometer’s findings, in particular that the detail of what  and where should be determined at a local level to ensure it addresses the needs, culture and aspirations of the local communities which it is meant to serve. It was felt that this would be the only way to ensure the success of new housing supply, while also tackling the issue of local resistance to new development.

On the unaddressed root causes of slow housing delivery, shortages of talent in both the building trades and the planning profession were highlighted, while developers also pointed to wider market conditions – they can only build as quickly as they can sell, which is now slower than ever. Sean Ellis, Managing Director of Fernham Homes and panellist, pointed to recent research by Hamptons: in 2016, around 50% of properties were being bought off plan but now that figure is around 30%, so almost three quarters of buyers are waiting until a property is build complete before committing. Chantelle Williams, Land and Partnership Director at Vistry Group, spoke of the need to address the skills shortage by encouraging the next generation to see planning as an attractive industry to join. 

All agreed that actually, it is not the planning system itself that is the issue, nor does it need ‘fixing’ to unlock housing delivery. It is the conditions it is operating in, with lack of resource at the delivery end being a key concern. 

In summary, the report is not only a reflection of councillors’ views but of the wider scope of those on the frontline, across both public and private sectors, indicating a disconnect that extends beyond national and local government. 

Of course, the political weight behind the 1.5 million home objective – and the reality of the housing crisis - means that targets and wider reform are here to stay. However, mounting delivery challenges and policy scepticism highlight the need for a more collaborative, locally informed, and pragmatic approach to planning and housing delivery. 

National Planning Barometer:

Join us at our London offices on 17th June 2025 for a panel event: If targets don’t build homes, what does? For further details and to sign up, click here.

To download a copy of the 2025 report, click here