Housing Secretary considers ‘fast track for beauty’

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has revealed that he is considering introducing a new “fast track for beauty” in the planning system – allowing homeowners or developers to more quickly secure planning permission if they are seeking to build a type of structure that a community has already deemed acceptable. The proposal is included in a report from the Government’s Building Better, Building Beautiful commission. “Instead of an unpredictable, bureaucratic planning system, which shuts out smaller developers and self-builders,” he writes, “we should have a freer process where it is easier to progress planning applications for well-designed places.” He also adds that he wants to see tree-lined streets become “the norm,” and that zero carbon homes should be “being built as standard within five years.”

The Sunday Telegraph (26/01/20)