The industry has called for guarantees that changes to planning will be implemented, after the CBI submitted its 10-point reform plan this week.
Michael Roberts, head of business environment at CBI, said: “The Treasury, the DTLR and the DTI have listened readily, but they havent made any commitment to the proposals as yet.”
But Judith Salomon, head of property at London First, was not convinced by the CBIs points. She said: “Few of their proposals are new. Weve seen them in countless other submissions over the past five years. This time we need a guarantee that something is going to be pushed through.”
Roberts added that changing the planning system would require strong leadership in government. He said: “The need to have a reform that is well managed is an absolute. We havent developed the how part of the thinking, simply the what needs to be done bit. Someone in Government has to take the lead now.”
Richard Lambert, commercial and residential director of the BPF, which worked with CBI on the document, added: “The ball is now in the Governments court.”
He said a ministerial champion was needed. “Planning needs a big political hitter, like Stephen Byers, to pull it all together. It needs someone big enough to stand up in the Cabinet and carry the programme through.”
EGi News 27/07/01
