<p><span>The prime minister Boris Johnson has today (June 30) announced “the most radical reforms” to the country’s planning system since the Second World War </span><span>alongside</span><span> a package of housing measures “to support homebuilding across England”.</span></p> <p><span>The prime minister plans to comprehensively reform England’s “seven-decade old” planning system, launching a planning Policy Paper next month.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>Under other planning changes, set to be implemented by September, the government will widen the scope of commercial buildings - including recently vacant shops - that can be converted to residential use without planning permission.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>Housebuilders will also not require a “normal planning application” to demolish and rebuild vacant and redundant residential buildings if they are to be repurposed as homes.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>And, through a “fast track” approval process, property owners can build additional space above their properties, “subject to neighbour consultation”.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>The government said</span><span>:</span><span> “These changes will both support the high street revival by allowing empty commercial properties to be quickly repurposed and reduce the pressure to build on greenfield land by making brownfield development easier.”</span><span></span></p> <p><span>And the government will establish a “new, ambitious” cross-government strategy to look at putting public sector land “to better use”, including through home building and improving the environment.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>Housing measures …