A bonfire of red tape must follow the Government’s planning shake-up, according to
John Rider, West Midlands chairman of the Institute of Directors.
He urged Ministers to “unshackle business” by addressing other logjams.
Mr Rider said: “It is great to see hundreds of pages of weighty and unnecessary rules being cut out of the planning system.
“But this should only be the start. The Government should now, in the same way, set about the red tape that is strangling business. If they can do it with planning; they can do it with red tape.
“So far; so good. But there is a lot more to do so let’s get cracking.”
Responding to the release of the National Planning Policy Framework this week, he said: “Being able to develop new shops, houses and factories is crucial to delivering economic growth, and too often planning regulations have prevented that. The fundamental principle that sustainable development should be supported is a very welcome one.
“To ensure this reform works well, councils must now fulfil their role by putting plans in place that recognise the need to support development. Britain has to get building again, and these reforms allow that to happen – as long as they are followed through.
“The Government have been offering reassurances on protection of the countryside. It is not a them and us situation, environmentalists versus business. Everybody could be a winner.”