Boles told delegates at the Town and Country Planning Association's annual conference yesterday that the neighbourhood planning regime had proved to be a "huge success" since its introduction by the Localism Act 2011 with 800 communities now involved.
However, he called for "feedback from the front-line" to allow the Government to assess whether parts of the existing process were "unnecessary or over-long". "We all recognise the full level of complexity is not suitable in every case. Is there an easier way of doing it?" Boles said.
According to the reports, Boles said that other possible areas for reform could include encouraging long-term land ownership to improve place-making. "The challenge for all of us is to ask what role does the Government at central and local level need to play to make it easier for people to be long-term owners who bring a long-term commitment and stick around for 30, 40, 50 or 100 years," he said.
Boles said he hoped reforms would include making it easier for people to take a long-term substantial stake in a big scheme either through the planning system, compulsory purchase laws or in terms of bridge financing.
