Planning officers will be able to bypass council committees to speed through approval of housing schemes under plans launched today by deputy prime minister and housing secretary Angela Rayner.

Under push to modernise the planning approval process, applications that comply with local development plans could bypass the lengthy planning committee process entirely.

A key plank of this plan is to give local planning officers enhanced decision-making power to implement agreed planning policy.

The changes are designed to bring greater certainty to house builders. So that good-quality schemes aligned with already-agreed local development plans will be approved promptly to get spades in the ground.

The measures would see a national scheme of delegation introduced, the creation of streamlined committees for strategic development and mandatory training for planning committee members.

Alongside the proposed reforms, the government is this week expected to confirm sweeping changes to the National Planning Policy Framework following a consultation launched in July.

Rayner said:  “Building more homes and infrastructure across the country means unblocking the clogged-up planning system that serves as a chokehold on growth.

“The government will deliver a sweeping overhaul of the creaking local planning committee system.

“Streamlining the approvals process by modernising local planning committees means tackling the chronic uncertainty and damaging delays that acts as a drag anchor on building the homes people desperately need.”

She added: “Grasping the nettle of planning committee reform and fast-tracking decision-making is a vital part of our Plan for Change. Building 1.5m homes over five years means tackling the housing crisis we inherited head-on with bold action.

“Through our Planning and Infrastructure Bill, alongside new National Planning Policy Framework and mandatory housing targets, we are taking decisive steps to accelerate building, get spades in the ground and deliver the change communities need.”

Dr Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, said: “By empowering qualified planners to implement planning policies, locally elected councillors will have the time to focus on the more significant cases, effectively speeding up the planning process and reducing unnecessary delays.”

The measures set out in the working paper will seek views from a range of planning, housing and local government experts before finalising proposal details for planning committees.

The government will then publish a formal public consultation on these detailed proposals to coincide with the introduction of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill next year.