Housebuilding industry figures have welcomed the government’s apparent decision to press ahead with a root-and-branch shake-up of the planning system ahead of the expected inclusion of a forthcoming planning bill in the Queen’s Speech later today.

The bill, which is expected to be brought before Parliament in the autumn, is being designed to enact planning reforms trailed in last summer’s planning white paper, in which prime minister Boris Johnson said he wanted to “level the foundations” of planning and create an entirely new system.

The controversial plans include proposals to scrap section 106 agreements, push widespread design coding and force councils to zone swathes of land for “growth”, “protection” or “renewal”. Land zoned for growth will benefit from automatic outline planning permission, with councils unable to turn down applications that accord with local rules.

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