1. End Planning Paralysis
Manifesto 1.1 proposes a planning framework that combines a major local-authority role with a national route for qualifying housing and infrastructure projects.
The master sets out the commitment as follows:
Local planning authorities will retain a major role, but central government will retain a final power of intervention where nationally significant housing or infrastructure projects are repeatedly blocked. A national housing and infrastructure test will create a presumption in favour of approval for qualifying projects, while maintaining enforceable standards for infrastructure, design and environmental obligations. The objective is to prevent indefinite blockage of nationally important development while retaining those standards.
2. How planning would work
- A continuing local role. Local planning authorities retain a major role in the proposed system.
- A national housing and infrastructure test. Projects that qualify under the test would benefit from a presumption in favour of approval, alongside enforceable standards.
- A final intervention power. Central government retains a final power of intervention where nationally significant housing or infrastructure projects are repeatedly blocked.
The purpose is to provide a route through repeated blockage for nationally important development while keeping the standards set out in the manifesto.
3. Keep enforceable standards
The proposed presumption in favour of approval is tied to qualifying projects. The commitment expressly maintains enforceable standards in three areas:
- Infrastructure.
- Design.
- Environmental obligations.
These safeguards form part of the planning promise itself.
4. How this relates to the housing programme
Day 10 · Revised Proposal 09 sets out the ambition for one million additional homes over ten years through mixed tenure, with public and social delivery alongside conditional private-sector incentives.
That housing release already includes faster planning routes for schemes meeting national design, infrastructure and delivery tests. It also requires large housing schemes to be planned with transport, schools, primary care, utilities, drainage, digital connectivity and public space.
This separate planning proposal sets out the wider decision-making framework: the local-authority role, the national housing and infrastructure test and the final central-government intervention power.
Source and numbering
Source: Manifesto 1.1 — Complete Working Master, Part IV — Housing, section 13, “Planning reform”, Major Promise 11 — “End Planning Paralysis”, page 11. The commitment above reproduces the master wording; the surrounding sections explain it and its relationship to the housing release.
Day 11 · Proposal 10 is the campaign release identifier. 12. Planning Reform is its entry in this website’s original 30-policy index. The master’s section and Major Promise numbers are separate reference systems.