British Land and Landsec have added their weight to calls for urgent planning reforms to stimulate the regeneration of the UK’s towns and cities.

The pair want to see a specific set of changes that would not require primary legislation or significant public funding to unblock brownfield site regeneration.

The property companies are behind some of Britain’s most significant regeneration projects, including Landsec’s 24-acre Mayfield neighbourhood in central Manchester and British Land and AustralianSuper’s 53-acre Canada Water in London.

In a new report, the pair warn brownfield development suffers more than any other form of development from the shortcomings of the current system.

This is despite broad political consensus on the need to deliver more new homes and economic growth on brownfield land.

They warn successive changes to the planning system have resulted in layers of complexity that mean the system’s default mode is to prevent or delay economic activity.

These changes have added to the burden on planning authorities, meaning they have become increasingly stretched.

Mark Allan, chief executive officer at Landsec, said “The current planning system acts as a significant brake to growth.

“We believe that by making some necessary but simple changes to the existing planning regime, we can unlock this opportunity – for the benefit of the UK, for the economy and importantly for the communities we build for.”

British Land and Landsec roadmap for reform

Define brownfield urban regeneration sites as a separate planning category and focus on these opportunities to drive economic growth
Secure quick wins and pilot new ways of working in progressive authorities
Resource the planning system more effectively and reduce complexity. Introduce centralised specialist planning resource too support the delivery of large, complex sites
Encourage proportionate decision-making to ensure that planning decisions are taken at the level their impacts are felt
Recognise the bespoke nature and viability challenges of urban regeneration
Create tax incentives to unlock investment in infrastructure and remediation of brownfield land
Place communities at the heart of reshaping urban spaces

Simon Carter, Chief Executive Officer, British Land said: “There is political consensus in the need to prioritise urban regeneration over greenfield development.

“The ideas we are recommending today would help to drive our country’s growth by rejuvenating our great cities and towns and can be put into place quickly and easily.”