Member Article

Greater Manchester welcomes planning regulation changes

New streamlined planning rules have been welcomed by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce following a consultation in the autumn.

Regulations around planning applications will change at the end of January, to allow businesses to submit details around layout and scale of building developments without outline applications.

As part of the Government’s Plan for Growth, which was launched last summer, the planning process will become simpler and more efficient.

Councils will be required to review a list of validation requirements in its local area on a minimum two-year basis, to ensure that requirements have a bearing on the validity of applications.

Mike Gibson, chair of the Chamber’s Property and Construction Committee, commented: “Reviewing local lists frequently, ought to ensure that local requirements are robust and justified, whilst encouraging a more proportionate approach to information requests. Let’s all hope that Councils are up for meeting this challenge.”

In September last year David Cameron, PM, announced plans that would allow homeowners and businesses to extend their premises by up to double the previous allowance.

The Government said businesses will be able to expand their shops by 100 sq m, while industrial units will be able to grow 200 sq m without filling in complex applications.

The Greater Manchester Chamber has welcomed the changes in the hope that by removing a certain level of detail, applicants will be under less of a burden if they only hope to establish the principle of proposed development.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .