A camel is a horse designed by committee. The same is true of the UK planning system. A hodgepodge of good intentions and bad policies layered over a great many years.
Robert Jenrick leaves his station having made the situation no better and just before the Government attempts to steer a new Planning Bill through the House. Some will say his scalp is a necessary measure to ensure at least some of the changes needed to improve the planning system’s performance are achieved.
His legacy is not a good one. Damaged by the West Ferry debacle and restricted in movement by the pandemic, he attempted to build a consensus around planning reform through the medium of Zoom. Judging by the media, he has almost certainly failed with many suggesting that the ‘teeth’ of the reform package – zoning and more robust housing targets will be dropped.
His lasting legacy will be moving the department up to Wolvehampton and so away from the seat of power and influence. A move which whilst well-intentioned may further erode the Department’s ability to steer through genuinely helpful reforms.
Frustratingly for all, Jenrick couldn’t help himself with what he did achieve. Rather than attempt to create firm foundations through a once in a generation reboot of the planning system, he peddled pet projects and put them ahead of the wider changes he sought to make. Unfortunately, this is entirely normal in the short term, grab what you can, British electoral system we all must suffer.
First Homes, a new tenure was pushed through as was a new Office of Place with design codes. These changes are new appendages to a system already wholly convoluted. It would have been far better to have introduced them as part of a simpler and more extensive reform of the whole. Now if the wider reforms falter, we will be left with these new complexities and with none of the benefits.
Jenrick is an intelligent politician who understood some the problems with the British planning system. The thinking behind what MHCLG was trying to achieve promised much. Unfortunately, the merry go round of British politics combined with the challenges of actually getting something done means that he departs with much to do. The planning system is none the healthier for it.
