Chancellor George Osborne. Photo: M Holland

The coalition Government has reiterated its support for easing planning controls in the wake of the row earlier this year over the proposed policy framework.

Chancellor George Osborne’s autumn statement included a commitment to ensure advisory bodies promote sustainable development.

He also announced a plan to award costs against statutory consultees where they have ‘acted unreasonably’ where there has been an appeal against planning refusals.

Mr Osborne also told Parliament the Habitats and Wild Birds Directives should not be allowed delay development unnecessarily or increase costs.

In his statement, the Chancellor said: “The Government is reviewing the directives as currently implemented in England by Budget 2012 and is committed to tackling blockages for developments where compliance is particularly complex or has large impacts.”

He also said the Government would consult on proposals to allow existing agricultural buildings to be used for other business purposes such as offices, leisure and retail space, to make it easier for rural businesses to find the premises they need to expand.

“These measures will complement the Government’s wider reforms of the planning system,” he said. “The Government has already made substantial progress through the Localism Act 2011 and the publication of the draft National Planning Policy Framework, which sets out a presumption in favour of sustainable development.

“Building on these reforms, the Government will review planning appeals procedures, seeking to make the process faster and more transparent, improve consistency and increase certainty of decision timescales. Proposals will be brought forward for implementation in summer 2012.”

The Treasury plans risk another confrontation with environmental and outdoor groups, including the normally compliant National Trust, which was at the forefront of earlier resistance to relaxation of planning laws.

Mr Osborne’s statement also said the Government would support new development, which could include modern garden cities, urban and village extensions. The Government said it will ‘invite proposals from developers and local authorities for new developments which have clear local support’.

There was a hint that meteorological information could be freed. He said: “The Government will open up access to core public datasets on transport, weather and health,” and would set up an Open Data Institute.

For outdoor professionals and volunteers working with children and vulnerable adults, there was a promise from the Chancellor that the Government would deliver universal portability of Criminal Records Bureau checks with an immediate checking service for employers via an online facility available from 2013.

The package of measures was announced as Mr Osborne said growth was likely to be only 0.7 per cent next year and the Government would need to borrow an extra £100bn over four years.