There have been many changes, over the years, to the planning system but, in my view, none of them have resulted in the required step-change increase in housing land supply widely recognised to be so important for social and economic reasons. This is surely because, at its heart, our planning system has two competing forces: the stated desire to increase housing against local and national politicians’ desire to be re-elected. 

Looking at some of the changes set out in the recently published Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, together with its supporting policy paper and proposed future changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, will they make it easier or harder for developers to deliver housing?