Hundreds more planners to get Britain building

• Hundreds more planners set to be hired to go further and faster on government's commitment to build 1.5 million new homes for hardworking families.
• The boost expected at Budget will fast track 150 priority projects - turbocharging decisions on important infrastructure including roads, rail and airport expansion.
• Move set to more than quadruple manifesto commitment of 300 planners over the Parliament, to keep pace with government's sweeping planning reforms and get Britain building. 

Hundreds more planners are expected to be recruited across England as the government supercharges its commitment to build 1.5 million homes for hardworking families - and keep pace with the government's sweeping planning reforms to get Britain building. 

The Chancellor is expected to announce a £48m Budget boost for 350 new planners to help end the years of dither and delay that have set back some of Britain's most important projects.

The move is part of the government's drive to cut red tape in the planning system that has seen projects like the Lower Thames crossing delayed by 16 years, and microscopic snails stall a 21,000-home development in Sussex.

The government has already made a record 21 decisions on major infrastructure projects in the first year including green-lighting the Lower Thames Crossing, Gatwick airport expansion and Simister Island development in Manchester.

Rachel Reeves' Budget is expected to increase graduate planners, strengthening the capacity of the planning system to deliver better homes for hardworking people, better infrastructure, and thriving communities.

She is also expected to confirm the creation of a Planning Careers Hub, which will offer vital training programmes to support retention and open new routes into planning. This will create an opportunity for experienced professionals to join and thrive in the sector.  

The move will help to more than quadruple the government's manifesto commitment of 300 additional planners this Parliament – taking the total number to 1,400 working in planning roles – helping to reverse decades of underinvestment and decline in housing and infrastructure delivery.  

This follows £4.5million already announced for an AI Infrastructure Planning team to support local councils with expert advice and funding, making it easier for them to plan and approve new AI data centres, and support the development of AI Growth Zones. 

It comes as the Chancellor is set to deliver a Budget that makes the fair choices to deliver on the country's priorities to cut NHS waiting lists, cut national debt and cut the cost of living. 

 A Treasury source says: 

“We're putting an end to years of dither and delay of previous governments so we can get spades in the ground not stuck in the mud. That means turbocharging the number of planners to keep pace with our ambitions to build 1.5 million homes and make 150 planning decisions on major infrastructure projects”.