Local plans are to be overhauled as part of reforms to boost housing supply.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said there will be a clear expectation for them to be made within two-and-a-half years, rather than the average time of seven.

New changes include introducing regular assessments to help councils stay on track towards meeting their housebuilding targets, greater clarity about how plans should be prepared and updated and the use of digital tools to increase transparency on available land for new development.  

The MHCLG said there will be an additional £4.5m to fund salary bursaries for new planning roles in councils to help realise its manifesto commitment of 300 extra planners by the end of next year.

Housing and planning minister Matthew Pennycook MP said the changes will help deliver the government’s “ambitious” Plan for Change of building 1.5 million new homes within five years.

He said: “The steps we are taking will ensure local plans are simpler, faster to prepare and more accessible so communities in every part of the country can more easily shape decisions about how to deliver the housing and wider development their areas need.

Sheldon Bosley Knight’s associate director and head of planning and architecture, Natasha Blackmore da Silva said: “Currently local plan preparation can take up to seven years, this means that many policies are already out-of-date before they are even adopted.

“In theory this announcement should be seen as a positive in the effort to boost housing numbers, but in practice, I am unsure whether local planning authorities have the resources to meet this shorter deadline.

“If not, it will result in plans that do not properly consider site allocation options and local need being rushed through just to meet the deadline.”