<b><b>Will Howie argues that if the demands of PPG3 are to be met, then the only way to build is up - despite the recent events across the Atlantic</b></b><br><b>In his interview in last month&amp;’s issue of HouseBuilder, planning minister Lord Falconer offered a bargain to the housebuilders. He would be willing to reform the planning system provided that the industry would produce well designed homes in accordance with the standards of PPG3. </b><br>With that in mind, he will publish a Green Paper before Christmas.<p></p><p><b><b>Flies in the ointment</b></b><br>As far as it goes, that is reasonably good news. For there is no doubt that the current planning arrangements have long outlived their usefulness. They slow up the rate of building and they increase the cost of housing.</p><p>There are two flies in the ointment, however. If PPG3 is to remain unchanged, its flaws, which have been exposed in earlier issues of this magazine, will remain unaltered, too. The other problem is the minister&amp;’s continual harping on about the need for good design. He is right, of course, to be concerned about design, but he must realise that design will become a bone of contention in any future public inquiries. It is not difficult …