The CPRE has strongly criticised the government for introducing last-minute amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, warning they could undermine local decision-making and democratic oversight.

The proposed changes would give ministers new powers to stop local authorities from rejecting planning applications while central government considers whether to intervene using 'call-in' powers. The amendments are part of a wider package aimed at accelerating housing delivery and infrastructure development.

"These eleventh-hour amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill represent a dangerous erosion of democracy," CPRE chief executive Roger Mortlock said. "They are an astounding capitulation to the same big developers that have consistently failed to deliver the homes people need."

He continued: "The housing secretary claims that sluggish planning has 'real world consequences'. So too would the removal of vital legal safeguards. Blocking judges from halting approvals while legal challenges proceed would allow unlawful projects to cause irreversible damage to communities, wildlife and the wider environment.

"Giving ministers powers to override local council rejections further strips communities of their voice in decisions that affect their areas, as does restricting access to judicial review.

"CPRE's research shows there is enough brownfield land in England for more than 1.4 million new homes. It's possible to build the affordable and sustainable homes people need while still protecting the countryside and nature. What's required isn't the removal of democratic safeguards, but a shake-up of our broken housing market and proper investment in a planning system that works for communities, not just big developers."

The government says key changes include:

+ Ministers will be able to issue 'holding directions' to stop councils refusing planning permission whilst they consider using their 'call-in' powers. Under existing rules, they can only issue these holds when council are set to approve applications. This will ensure ministers can properly use their call-in powers where necessary to boost growth and build more homes.

+ Speeding up the approvals for large reservoirs by enabling non-water sector companies to build reservoirs that are automatically considered as nationally significant infrastructure projects.

+ Unlocking more onshore windfarms, securing around 3GW of onshore wind and up to £2bn extra investment for UK-based businesses, whilst safeguarding UK defence and nuclear safety capabilities.

+ Stopping planning permissions from being timed out for approved major housing schemes facing lengthy judicial reviews, building on existing measures to cut back meritless legal challenges for major infrastructure projects from three to one and slashing a year off the statutory pre-consultation period.

+ Allowing the Nature Restoration Fund to support the delivery of marine development, securing better environmental outcomes for marine habitats whilst accelerating the construction of coastal projects.

+ Streamlining Natural England's role will speed up approvals for new homes and infrastructure by reducing duplication and allowing greater discretion to focus on applications that pose higher risks or present stronger opportunities for nature recovery, with standard guidance provided to local authorities for straightforward cases.

+ The new pro-growth reforms means the government remains firmly on track to make 150 planning decisions on major infrastructure projects, with a record breaking 21 decisions in the first year of any Parliament, and has already greenlit projects including hot-off-the-wheels Gatwick airport expansion and the long-awaited Lower Thames Crossing.

Andrew Teacher, co-founder at LauderTeacher, one of the UK's leading advisors on real estate communications, investor relations and a former spokesman for the BPF, believes these further changes from the Chancellor are all steps in the right direction. But there remains room for improvements.

Teacher remarked: "The reality is that if she were ever to sit in an actual planning committee meeting, Rachel Reeves would hear councillors pick holes in projects on account of traffic pressures, parking, NHS capacity, and a multitude of other things that often have absolutely nothing to do with the planning application at hand."

"Often, it's impossible to separate the merits of a planning application from the impacts created from it. And many applications get voted down, not because they are not needed, but because of other competing issues, or because local politicians are happy to send projects to appeal, to appease perceived local opposition."

"There are some potential solutions the Chancellor should look at. Mechanisms could be used to fast track projects that deliver vital housing, or critical infrastructure, such as data centres or green energy, without them having to go through the hoops of local planning. Some will say this trounces democracy, but it doesn't, because this government was elected to build homes and green energy infrastructure."

"The single biggest thing that would get Britain building now, though, has nothing to do with planning. It's about regulatory red tape, and the fact that many existing consents are not buildable because the affordable housing quotas attached to them mean they will make no profit."

"There has to be an ideological shift in local authorities and in regional governments, particularly the GLA, that support and enable developers and investors to make a profit on the risk they are taking. Without that, nothing is going to change, no matter what planning amendments go through."

Anna Moore, co-founder and CEO of retrofit specialist Domna, believes the government's announcement to further streamline planning rules is welcome but ignores the "elephant in the room of housing delivery" - namely that it is far easier and cheaper to fix already existing homes than it is to build new ones.

She commented: "It is striking that ministers have proposed to make compulsory purchase easier for new development land, but not for existing empty homes. While building new homes will deliver supply in several years' time, restoring the 350,000 long term vacant homes will increase supply far more quickly and without the associated cost or environmental impact of new construction."

"Meanwhile, the proposal to unlock sites for critical energy infrastructure, and by extension secure 3GW of onshore wind, is welcome in the context of the climate emergency. But while we wait for these long-term investments to come online, it is crucial to those struggling with the cost of living that the government invests in measures that make homes cheaper and more efficient to heat now.

"From dual-use heat pumps to wall cavity insulation, improving the energy efficiency of the UK's homes will offer immediate financial relief for huge numbers of families at little cost to the state."

Last-Minute amendment to Planning and Infrastructure Bill a 'dangerous erosion of democracy' - CPRE - Property Industry Eye