Core Cities UK, a group of big cities that drive regional economies, have made an initial response to the Government’s announcement to consult on reforms to the planning system.

 

Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool and spokesperson for the group on Housing and Planning, said:

 

“Planning may be a barrier to housing in some places, but that’s not the case in our cities.  We have over 130,000 permissions for residential development, but only a fraction of these are completed each year.  The issues for us are about viability, taking a more innovative approach to financing, and developing partnerships with government and the private sector to deliver.

 

Our cities are pro-development, but it has to be the right kind of development.  With COVID 19 still in play, we need to put design quality back at the heart of planning and think about place-making, creating neighbourhoods cities where people feel comfortable to live and work.

 

There are ways in which planning changes could help us to boost economic growth, to reconfigure city centres in the way we are already doing in Liverpool, through our ‘Liverpool Without Walls’ programme, but any changes must build on real local knowledge of what does and does not work.

 

I am therefore inviting the Housing Minister to come and speak to us, as a group of cities that are in prime position to deliver on this agenda, and design a system that will work for everyone."