Keir Starmer, the UK Prime Minister, is facing
a big challenge: fixing Britain’s broken planning system. Many people across the country feel that it’s become too hard to build anything in the UK—whether it’s new homes, railways, or factories. This frustration is holding back economic growth and job creation.
For example, while the Victorians built the 400-mile East Coast Main Line in just 20 years, the modern HS2 railway (which is only 140 miles long) might not be finished until 2035. Similarly, while the UK built nine nuclear power stations between 1956 and 1966, the new Hinkley Point C power station won’t be fully operational until 2032—25 years after it was first planned.
The problem isn’t that Britain has forgotten how to build things or that we lack skilled workers. The issue lies in the country’s slow and overly complicated planning system. This system is filled with red tape, bureaucratic delays, and legal challenges that make it difficult to get projects off the ground. Prime Minister Starmer has introduced a new **Planning and Infrastructure Bill** to tackle these issues. The bill aims to:
1. Speed up planning decisions: By streamlining planning committees and giving local councils more power to make decisions.
2. Reduce delays for major projects: Such as wind farms, roads, and railways.
3. Cut back on unnecessary consultations: For example, reducing the number of organizations (like Sports England) that can weigh in on planning applications.
These changes are a step in the right direction, but critics argue they don’t go far enough. For instance, the bill doesn’t fully address the costly environmental rules that often delay projects. A famous example is the £120 million “bat tunnel” built for HS2 to protect 300 rare bats—costing £400,000 per bat! While the government has promised to stop such wasteful spending, the new rules still rely on outdated EU environmental regulations in some cases, which could lead to more delays and costs.
Another issue is the legal system, which is often used by opponents of development (like “NIMBYs”—Not In My Backyard campaigners) to block projects. Even when these legal challenges fail, they cause significant delays because the challengers don’t have to pay the other side’s legal fees. The government plans to address this, but some believe they should go further by lifting the cap on legal fees to discourage frivolous lawsuits.
The article also suggests that the government should adopt a “use it or lose it” approach to objections. This means that if organizations or individuals miss their deadline to raise concerns about a project, they shouldn’t be allowed to delay it later. This would help speed up the planning process and reduce unnecessary hold-ups.
In summary, the new Planning Bill is a chance for Keir Starmer to make bold changes and unlock Britain’s potential. By cutting red tape, speeding up decisions, and tackling legal and environmental hurdles, the government could finally get the country building again. However, critics argue that the bill needs to go further to truly fix the system. If Starmer seizes this opportunity, he could be remembered as the Prime Minister who got Britain back on track. If he doesn’t, the country risks falling further behind.
What do you think? Should the government do more to speed up planning and construction, or are the current proposals enough? Share your thoughts!
