The Home Builders Federation today welcomed the announcement of an ‘end-to-end’ review of the planning application process. Stewart Baseley, HBF Executive Chairman, said: “This review is important – the Government must get to grips once and for all with the planning system and make it fit for purpose for the 21st century.” “The acid test of this review will be whether it can effectively tackle the over-long planning process, unnecessary red tape and deliver land at a faster rate.” “Despite all the efforts made to date, the current planning system still takes far too long to identify appropriate sites for development and is riddled with unnecessary delays. “The result is that applications take an average of 15 months from initial application to the end of the process – three or four times as long as a generation ago – and insufficient land to meet society’s housing needs is coming forward.” - Ends - Notes to Editors: The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the principal trade federation for private sector home builders and voice of the home building industry in England and Wales. The HBF’s 300 member firms account for some 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year, and include companies of all sizes, ranging from multi-national, household names through regionally based businesses to small local companies: www.hbf.co.uk For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact: Francis Mallinson 020 7404 5344 07899 751138 francis.mallinson@portlandpr.co.uk
