Changes to England's planning policy could finally come into effect this summer, more than a year after initial legislation was published, as housebuilders pin difficulties getting more homes built on the complicated system. A letter from Steve Quartermain, the Government's chief planner, sent to developers and lobby groups last week said that ministers intended to publish a draft revised version of the National Planning Policy Framework, the policy document that outlines what can be built where, by the end of March. A final version will be published in the summer, the letter said, 18 months after the Government's housing White Paper, which was intended to outline an overhaul of the system, and was made public in February 2017. Developers have criticised the slow pace of change for the planning system, with most of the recommendations in the White Paper still not close to being implemented. Steve Morgan, chairman of housebuilder Redrow, said: "We would like the Government to take action quicker on planning in particular." He added that getting consent to build homes on sites was often a lengthy and difficult process. Others have suggested that the constant tweaks made to the system make it harder to build. Dean Clifford, co-founder of Great Marlborough Estates, one of London's largest housebuilders, accused the Government of overseeing a "merrygo-round of changes that require constant recalibrations of the wider planning system". He added: "This plethora of regulations, uncertainties and delay means that developers will often have to wait a while before they are allowed to put a spade in the ground."
The UK government is set to introduce changes to planning policy in the summer , 18 months after promising an overhaul of the system in its housing White Paper . The changes will include slight alterations to how a need for housing is calculated and the way in which developers are asked to contribute to local infrastructure . Housebuilder Redrow 's chairman , Steve Morgan , said he wanted the government to take faster action on planning , which was described by Great Western Estates co - founder David Clifford as " a merry - go - round of changes that require constant recalibrations of the wider planning system " .