The Planning and Infrastructure Act – CalComms' Labour perspective

At CalComms we are unashamedly political, with all of us being involved in politics and activism both at work and outside of the office. As the Planning and Infrastructure Bill becomes law, different members of the team give their viewpoint. Here, Senior Account Director Matt Detzler gives us a Labour perspective.

As a Labour activist and Chair of the Housing and Planning Committee at Labour in Comms, I am very proud of Labour’s commitment to housebuilding. In particular, I’ve welcomed the Government’s re-introduction of housing targets and the new definition of “Grey Belt”.

The new Act will:

• Deliver faster and more certain consents

• Introduce more strategic thinking to the process of nature recovery

• Improve decision making by reforming planning committees

• Unlock more land across the country for development

• Introduce new mechanisms for strategic planning

The Bill’s progress has not been smooth, and the Government has faced criticism even from within its own ranks.

Environmental regulations within the Bill have been criticised by MPs and Peers, including Labour MPs. Some Labour MPs representing rural seats, many of them only elected in 2024 and often unexpectedly, have also raised concerns that the Act will lead to the Party suffering heavy losses in their areas – many of which will see a large increase in housebuilding in the Green Belt.

The centralisation aspects of the Bill, especially regarding which applications would be decided by planning committees in local authorities, have also raised concerns. Labour’s Local Government Reorganisation and the deferment of elections in multiple parts of the country, though not part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, have also fed into the concerns around local democracy being undermined.

These concerns are held by Labour councillors just as much as councillors from other parties, and have already had an impact in Parliament.

The target of 1.5 million new homes by 2029 may not be reachable through planning reform alone; access to finance and labour are also important to solving the housing crisis.

However, I do believe that this new Act will help Labour deliver more homes and make a real difference to people in their 20s, 30s and 40s looking to get on the housing ladder.