Flagship planning reforms get Royal Assent

The first new Planning Act for more than a decade was granted Royal Assent last night (Thursday) - paving the way for a more flexible and responsive planning system for England.

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act will enable communities to play a more active role in creating better places to live and work, as well as making the planning system faster, fairer and more efficient.

The Act represents the Government's commitment to fundamental reforms of the planning system to nurture a strategic, proactive force for creating inclusive, accessible, safe and sustainable communities.

Planning Minister Keith Hill said: "Two-and-a-half years ago we set out a programme for major changes to the planning system in the Planning Green paper. Now we have reached a significant milestone - we have a new Planning Act.

"Planning is about improving the quality of life and the quality of places. Creating thriving, sustainable communities requires a planning system that delivers. The Planning Act gives us a new system to make better plans, and make better planning decisions, more quickly.

"We must remember this Act is part of a bigger picture of planning reform. Planners have an incredibly important role in shaping the look, feel and design of their community and need a responsive, well resourced planning system to make that work - so that's what we're delivering," he said.