Building in Britain takes significantly more time that the rest of the developed world due to bureaucratic inefficiencies, complex regulatory hurdles and fragmented decision-making processes. Being a leader in the developed world, why is this the case?
Over complicated planning system
- Britain’s planning process is fragmented, at best, and heavily centralised. There are multiple layers of oversight including local authorities, statutory consultees, national agencies.
- Typically, this process is lengthy with pre-application consultations, environmental assessments and legal challenges all adding years to project timelines
- Inconsistency in planning decisions and shifting national policy priorities is also impacting on project timescales and developers are facing lengthy delays.
Large infrastructure projects in the UK take on average, 12½ years to be determined. This compares to countries such as Germany and the Netherlands of 5 to 6 years.
| Project Type | UK Avg. Time | Netherlands | Germany | USA | Reason for UK Delay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major Infrastructure (rail, road, power) | 12–15 years | 6–8 years | 6–9 years | 8–10 years | Complex planning + legal challenges |
| Commercial Property (office, retail, industrial) | 2.5–5 years | 1.5–2.5 years | 2–3 years | 2–3 years | Lengthy planning approvals + utility delays |
| Large Housing Developments (500+ units) | 3–7 years | 2–3.5 years | 2.5–4 years | 3–5 years | Section 106 negotiations, planning backlogs |
| Public Transport (new lines/extensions) | 10–20 years (e.g. Crossrail) | 5–8 years | 6–9 years | 7–12 years | Fragmented authority + consultation loops |
| Data Centres / Strategic Infrastructure | 2.5–4 years | 1.5–2 years | 1.5–2 years | 2–3 years | Grid access + local resistance |
Legal and Judicial Challenges
- The UK’s threshold for Judicial Review is low – projects can be easily delayed or blocked by legal challenges brought about any individual, local group or NGO.
- Court cases are often brought due to environmental concerns, planning law interpretation or procedural missteps.
Strategic Planning (or lack of)
- National infrastructure plans in the UK are, often, approved in a piecemeal fashion and not tied into long-term plans or budgets.
- Political changes are also a massive burden on progress with frequent changes altering infrastructure priorities causing to further delays, redesigns and cancellations as the Northern leg of HS2.
Local Planning Authorities
- Many councils are facing staffing shortages which is impacting on planning applications being validated, properly assessed and decisions awarded.
- Many mack experienced planners and coupled with budget cuts have created bottlenecks, some local authorities taking several months to respond.
Consultation Requirements
- Mandatory community and environmental consultation at multiple stages duplicates effort and delays progress.
- In the UK there appears to be no time limit on this vital consultation process compared with other countries. Centralised approval agencies would be a step closer to reducing the inefficiencies of the planning process.
Utility and Infrastructure Coordination Delays
- Utility companies tender to operate on their own timescale rather than a coordinated approach with developers. As much as you make due allocation for their time within programmes, they nearly always take longer.
- No single entity responsible for integrating planning with service delivery timescales.
How is this being tackled?
So far, the following reforms are being considered.
Modernisation of Planning System
Digitisation of Planning is currently being proposed by Central Government for automated systems and standardised forms to reduce delays and inconsistencies.
Zoning Reform Pilot Projects are to be trialled in Development Zones in Manchester and Birmingham for a more permissive, rules-based planning regime.
Metro mayors to gain more control to fast-track major schemes, whilst this will bypass local bureaucracy there is an element of the decision being a ‘vote winner’ and not used in the spirit it is intended.
National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) aims to centralise project approval and remove duplication. Aligning central and local funding streams will help to fast-track significant projects and coordinate across transport, energy, housing and utilities.
Planning Reform whilst there may be an action to reduce the Judicial Review window for nationally significant projects, this does not address the local agenda and local need for development other than housing. This may include shortening the JR windows to reduce speculative challenges; limiting grounds for appeal to procedural only and not policy disagreements; streamline the Environmental Impact Assessments to reduce duplication.
Utility Connection reform – OFWAT and PFGEM are reviewing the grid connection waitlists and water neutrality barriers along with a shared infrastructure cost model to support cost planning.
Would specials measures of commercial zones for logistics and industrial space to help fast-track commercial opportunities support development. Yes, absolutely!
Lighter-touch approvals for office to residential conversions, would that help? Absolutely, and it will support a change in direction for towns and bring more life back to town centres.