David Ramsay, Partner, Head of Planning at Vail Williams LLP, which has bases in Crawley and Brighton:

“From a planning perspective, today’s Budget reinforces the Government’s ambition to deliver the ‘most ambitious’ planning reforms in a generation, with the forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill positioned as the key vehicle to unlock new housing and critical infrastructure once it becomes law.

“It’s positive to see measures aimed at accelerating housing delivery, including proposals for councils to notify Government before rejecting major housing schemes. In principle, this should help ensure that significant applications receive proper, balanced consideration at committee level rather than being driven by localised objections or NIMBY pressure.

“The intention to work with the Judiciary to reduce delays in Judicial Reviews is also welcome, as quicker legal processes would support faster delivery across the system.

“However, the Budget also underscores an ongoing challenge: planning reform will only succeed if local planning departments are properly resourced. The £48 million announced to boost capacity, including funding for 350 additional planners, expansion of the Pathways to Planning Graduate Scheme and a new Planning Careers Hub, is a step in the right direction, but sustained investment will be needed.

“Proposals to streamline statutory consultees must be handled with care. Cutting out consultees risks storing up problems later; improvements should focus instead on realistic deadlines, better-resourced teams, and consistent, high-quality responses.

“The commitment to confirm new town locations by Spring 2026 signals a welcome intention to plan strategically and at scale. Meanwhile, the acceleration of AI-driven planning reforms could offer real benefits if implemented responsibly and transparently.

“Overall, today’s announcements continue the right conversations, but delivering 1.5 million homes will require more than policy statements. True progress depends on investment, capacity and consistent implementation across the planning system.”