Gordon Brown plans a radical shake-up in Britain’s planning system early, introducing legislation into parliament this autumn, Whitehall insiders have revealed. Financial Times
A planning white paper, due to be published later this month, is likely to be followed by a bill within months, spurred on by the government’s plans to build nuclear power stations.
The white paper will build on Treasury adviser Kate Barker's proposals to overhaul major infrastructure planning decisions in her report published in December.
Among the key legislative proposals are: national policy statements setting out priorities for the infrastructure sectors that balance economic, social and environmental objectives; an independent planning commission to rule on major projects following streamlined public consultation; and measures to fast-track consent for the next generation of nuclear power stations.