Chancellor announce plan to boost capacity in local planning departments

The government has confirmed it will invest £48m in funding to boost capacity in local planning departments.

The Treasury said the additional investment, which had been widely expected, will be used to recruit 350 planners in England, by expanding the Pathways to Planning Graduate Scheme and creating a ‘new planning careers hub’ aimed at retaining and retraining mid-career professionals.

The government also said it would also fund improvements to the “performance and speed of environmental regulators” and make extra resources for “priority projects and delivery of the Nature Restoration Fund’s environmental delivery plans”.

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Source: Shutterstock

The government wants to recruit an extra 350 planners

It said: “This will take the total number of recruitments across the planning system to 1,400 by the end of this Parliament, which will help speed up planning decisions on housing and infrastructure, and support delivery of 1.5 million homes.”

The government said it is also working with the judiciary to make further reforms to ensure planning cases are heard more quickly and by expert judges.

 Budget 2025: at-a-glance

  • Freeze on national insurance thresholds extended for three years from 2028
  • Legal minimum wage to rise in April by 4.1% for over 21s and by 8.5% for 18 to 20-year-olds
  • Plans to converge two rates of landfill tax halted
  • £13bn funding for seven regional mayoralties
  • “Mansion tax” of between £2,500 and £7,500 for properties valued over £2m
  • OBR upgrades growth forecast from 1% to 1.5% but downgrades productivity
  • Fiscal headroom doubled to £22bn
  • Extra £48m of funding to boost capacity in planning system by recuriting 350 extra planners by expanding the Pathways to Planning Graduate Scheme and creating a new Planning Careers Hub
  • £783m for a new local growth programme over three years to support regeneration across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

 

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