Print

RICS backs planning initiative

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has come out in support of the landmark high court ruling that looks set to remove the right of the Environment Secretary to decide planning applications.

The organisation believes that the long term result could be a more coherent framework for decision making and policy, as the government will have to make sure that any guidelines it issues are well understood by the independent third body that is likely to be appointed to decide key decisions.

However, RICS did recognise that the legal ruling was likely to "cause a great deal of disruption" and urged and spoke of a need to ensure that the "whole planning system is not allowed to grind to a halt"