Red tape that affects house builders and landlords is cut, while the Red Tape Challenge focuses on planning administration next.

Unnecessary technical regulations that are no longer needed will be removed, Planning Minister Nick Boles announced.

The changes will have no effect on countryside or environmental protections, which will continue to be safeguarded.

Around 100 small housing and construction regulations will be removed or amended as part of the government’s Red Tape Challenge to make sensible changes to regulatory burdens.

The review looked at how red tape that affects house builders and landlords could be cut back to streamline the process of building homes and renting out properties.


Removing the regulations is just one step. Further work has been underway since Autumn 2012 to simplify the framework of building regulations and local housing standards. Changes were also made in December to the building regulations to streamline requirements.

The planning administration theme of the Red Tape Challenge was also launched today. This theme intends to make the mechanics of the planning system more efficient and accessible.

The review will not make any changes to planning policy. It will feed into the department’s wider work to help deliver a more streamlined, effective and accessible planning system, while maintaining necessary safeguards.

Planning Minister Nick Boles said: "We're streamlining the building system and removing and improving regulations to lift unnecessary burdens where we can, to create a smooth journey through the construction process.

"The planning administration theme will build on this and simplify the mechanics of the planning system more."

(CD)