While this sounds good on paper, industry veterans are already finding holes in the plans.

Planning reforms have been met with cheers and trepidation from the housebuilding industry, who fear the devil will be in the detail. At the heart of Jenrick’s plan is a move to slash bureaucracy, beautify buildings and shepherd the planning system into the 21st century by making plans available online for general consumption. While this sounds good on paper, industry veterans are already finding holes in the plans, including a narrow focus on First Time Buyers and a lack of attention to affordable homes.

Mary-Anne Bowring, group managing director at Ringley, said: “The planning reforms announced by Robert Jenrick are certainly welcome news. For years now, the property industry has warned that the planning system is ‘broken and outdated’ so it is good to see the government move towards a simpler, rules-based system that will make delivering new homes easier. “One disappointing element to the government’s planning white paper is the continued focus on first-time buyers, with nothing on how to boost the supply of rental housing despite private renters being the fastest growing part of the housing market.”