Cabinet Ministers clash over speed of reforms to planning system

The other areas identified were regulation, including the transposition of EU directives and financing for business.

Communities secretary Eric Pickles was reportedly challenged over the pace of planning reform and "reacted angrily" to accusations that he was dragging his feet over reforms according to press reports. Mr Pickles insisted that the revised National Planning Policy Framework would be published by the end of March, reports said.

“This cabinet clash highlights the inherent tension between the UK’s need for growth, driven by the Treasury and the need for speedy regulatory and policy reform, led by Eric Pickles,” said planning law expert Iain Gilbey of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com. “For reform to be effective in stimulating growth, it must happen quickly and decisively. We have seen neither of those objectives being met in the emergence of the NPPF, the practical implications of the Localism Act and most recently the awaited, and further delayed, amendments to the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations. Government needs to move quickly on these, in order to give local planning authorities  and  the development industry the clarity that they need in promoting and responding to much-needed development and regeneration in the UK.”

In the same meeting George Osborne is also reported to have accused Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman of being too slow in the review of the Habitats and Wild Birds Directives, as they are currently implemented in England. The review is intended to focus on authorisations for development "with a view to reducing burdens on business while maintaining the integrity of the purpose of the Directives" according to DEFRA.

The Cabinet meeting centred on economic growth and was described as "unusual" by the Prime Minister's spokesman. "Rather than being a policy discussion this was a discussion about implementation and removing blockages to delivery," said the spokesman.

The meeting took place ahead of Osborne's third budget which is due to be delivered on 21 March 2012.