The Times - UK (2020-08-06)

Thursday August 6 2020 | thetimes.co.uk | No 73231 2G

Boris Johnson is to limit the power of
local politicians to block building
developments in the biggest reform of
the planning system for 70 years.
The proposals, to be published today,
aim to trigger a construction boom that
would swiftly provide homes, hospitals
and schools. The prime minister has
promised to rejuvenate the economy
with a “build, build, build” strategy.
Councils are to be given up to three
and half years to designate areas for

growth, renewal or protection. Once

agreed, however, local politicians will

have little or no say over specific appli-

cations that fit the rules.

Ministers insist that residents will be

consulted over how land is designated

and on “design codes” to ensure that new

buildings fit in. They are braced, how-

ever, for opposition from councils, espe-

cially Tory-controlled local authorities.

Requirements for developers to provide

affordable housing are to be relaxed.

Mr Johnson and his senior adviser,

Dominic Cummings, have long railed

against the planning system, which

they say puts the country at a disadvan-

tage against international competitors.

Meeting the government’s target of

300,000 new homes a year by the mid-

2020s and a million over the five-year

parliament will be impossible without

radical reform, they believe.

Robert Jenrick, the housing secretary,

said the reforms would enable smaller

builders to compete with big companies

by making the planning system quicker

and cheaper and increasing the supply

of homes, hospitals and schools and

other construction. “Our complex

planning system has been a barrier to

Francis Elliott Political Editor
Melissa York, Oliver Wright

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Red tape to be slashed

in planning revolution

building the homes people need; it takes

seven years to agree local housing plans

and five years just to get a spade in the

ground,” he said.

“These once-in-a-generation reforms

will lay the foundations for a brighter

future... We will cut red tape, but not

standards, placing a higher regard on

quality, design and the environment

than before. Planning decisions will be

simple and transparent, with local

democracy at the heart of the process.”

Nicholas Boys Smith, director of

the social enterprise Create Streets,

Continued on page 2, col 3

Amazon

passes on

tax rise to

small firms

Ashley Armstrong Retail Editor

James Hurley

Amazon has been accused of “opting

out” of fair taxes after passing on a levy

on tech giants to small businesses.

The digital services tax was

introduced in April to tackle online

companies that pay little UK tax and

level the playing field with high street

shops. Multinational tech companies

pay a 2 per cent levy on revenues made

online from UK users.

Amazon, valued at $1.5 trillion, has

told UK businesses using its services to

sell products that it will increase its fees

by 2 per cent. Some said they would

have to pass on the cost to consumers.

The increase provoked outrage. Lord

Leigh of Hurley, a Conservative peer

and former party treasurer, said:

“Amazon are further engendering

the risk that they exhibit monopolistic

behaviour. And that will have conse-

quences. They constantly fight against

good behaviour.”

Small companies said that the move

had come at a particularly hard time for

self-employed sellers on Amazon, some

of whom have received little support

from the government during the pan-

demic. Conversely Amazon’s profits

have soared in the crisis.

“This self-employed group, who

already pay their taxes in the UK, have

become collateral damage in the

struggle between Amazon and the

government,” Andy Chamberlain,

director of policy at the Association of

Independent Professionals and the

Self-Employed, said.

Amazon has about 280,000 registered

sellers trading on its UK site, according

to industry estimates. The online giant

was founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos, who

is now the world’s richest person with a

fortune of $180 billion.

Amazon already charges UK sellers a

15 per cent referral fee on every sale

through its platform. Other costs

include storage and delivery fees.

Analysts have previously estimated

that Amazon takes a 30 per cent cut on

every sale.

On a forum for Amazon sellers, one

wrote that the company had “shafted”

small businesses. Another said it was a

case of Amazon “giving the finger” to

Continued on page 2, col 3

AFP/GETTY IMAGES

6 Councils lose powers to block developments 6 Quicker approval for homes, schools and hospitals