1. savills.com Hertfordshire Housing Conference Planning Reform: Five Key Messages David Henry, Planning Director, Savills (L&P) Limited

2. Five Key Messages: Its the economy, stupid. Is less more? Its all in the delivery. For some, its life in the fast lane. Failure is not an option.

3. Message 1 – Its the economy, stupid. We must cut through the bureaucracy holding back growth...that starts with getting the planners off our backs - David Cameron, 7 September 2012 I think we can speed up planning...in the current environment, we cannot afford to wait years for development - George Osborne, 2 September 2012 Britain is in a global race...we will only be able to compete if we make it easier for business to invest and quicker for infrastructure to get built - Nick Boles, 18 October 2012 Countless jobs are tied up in the filing cabinets of the planning machine – Michael Heseltine, 31 October 2012.

4. Message 1: Its the economy, stupid.

5. Message 2: Is less, more? NPPF – 1,000 pages of national guidance now reduced to 49. Circulars – 6,000 pages now being culled via the Taylor Review. Most to go? Announcement in Autumn Statement ( 5 December, George Osborne) Will this lead to more appeals and legal cases? Or will it free up and speed up decision making?

6. Message 3: Its all in the delivery

7. Measures introduced to re-negotiate commercially unviable S.106 Agreements. Affordable Housing if we have a 50% target and nothing is built, 50% of nothing is nothing. – Eric Pickles, 5 November 2012 Flexibility is being encouraged to get the whole process moving – EP, 5 November 2012 Also, we still operate under a statutory, plan-led system. But....... Plan making is often still in the slow lane.... By April 2012, only 42% of English authorities had up to date adopted LDFs/Local Plans.

8. Message 3: Its all in the delivery AuthorityAdoptedEmerging BroxbourneLP, 2005LP, 2014 DacorumLP, 2004Core Strategy, 2013 East HertsLP, 2007LP, 2013 - 2014 HertsmereLP, 2003Core Strategy, 2013 North HertsLP,1996Core Strategy, 2014 St AlbansLP, 1994LP, 2013 - 2014 StevenageLP, 2004LP, 2015 Three RiversCS, 2011Dev Man, 2013 WatfordLP, 2003Core Strategy, 2013 WelwynLP, 2005Core Strategy, 2013 - 2014

9. Message 4: For some, its life in the fast lane Planning Act 2008 – set up a streamlined system for major infrastructure projects. Decided via Government/Planning Inspectorate Growth and Infrastructure Bill (current) Proposes expanding this to include other essential development. This could cover commercial, but not residential schemes. However, SoS may instead call in housing schemes more housing schemes.

10. Message 5: Failure is not an option Growth and Infrastructure Bill Will allow applications direct to PINS (Inspectorate) if Councils have a poor track record in the speed of decisions or the proportion of decisions overturned on appeal. Also, the appeals system is being increasingly used. For example, SoS decision at Stratford-in-Avon (October 2012). Prematurity given little weight in order to meet a significant unmet need for housing in the district. Planning is a means to an end, not an end in itself. – Eric Pickles, June 2012.