<b></b>The government&amp;’s proposals for the &amp;“biggest shake-up in the planning system in more than half a century&amp;” have received a mixed response from the industry. While most housebuilders welcomed the main thrust of the proposals announced in December&amp;’s Green Paper, plans released subsequently for a tariff on development have caused more concern. There is also a feeling that the timetable is too tight - responses are due by March 18.<br>The Green Paper - <i>Planning: Delivering a Fundamental Change</i> - virtually scraps the role of county councils in development planning in an attempt to simplify the complex multi-layered approach to decision making and speed up the process. County-level Structure Plans will be abolished and Regional Planning Guidance replaced with new Regional Spatial Strategies. At the local level there will be new Local Development Frameworks replacing Local Plans and Unitary Development Plans.<p></p><p>The LDFs will be backed by Action Plans which will include plans for specific neighbourhoods and villages and site development briefs.</p><p>The government says the reforms will &amp;“simplify the system by scrapping the confusing and often contradictory multi-layered planning hierarchy, replacing it with a clearer, simpler, two-level system of village or neighbourhood plans and regional plans, consistent with national planning policy.&amp;”</p><p>The Green …