Labour proposals to speed up the planning system are months behind schedule, it has emerged. A consultation on removing a number of statutory consultees from the planning process in England, believed to be aimed at making it easier for the Government to achieve its ambitious new homes target, was due to be held in the spring. 

One organisation awaiting its fate says it still hasn't heard from the Government as it shares research highlighting nine in 10 Britons are concerned about how Labour housing plans to “build, baby, build” could impact green spaces. Linden Groves from The Gardens Trust, the UK’s only national charity dedicated to protecting and conserving the heritage of designed landscapes, says the uncertainty has “hijacked” the year. She told the Express: “We are still waiting for the consultation into their proposal to remove us as a statutory consultee.

“They announced that back in March that it was going to be a spring consultation and we’re still waiting. The best part of our year has been spent trying to address what they said they’re proposing to do. 

“We’ve been readying ourselves and dealing with all the things that come along with that wait,” she added.

Ms Groves said the consultation announcement was “completely unexpected”. 

The Government will be consulting on the proposed reforms shortly, it is understood.

The Gardens Trust is warning the UK’s green “crown jewels” are at risk as a result of the proposed changes and has released a report underlining the importance of British gardens and parks to society. 

It highlights more than 90% of people are concerned Labour plans to build 1.5 million new homes this parliament could threaten local green open space.

People visiting parks and gardens saves the NHS around £111 million a year, reducing the number of GP visits, prescriptions and referrals, the report added.

It also highlighted the economic and ecological value of Britain’s parks and gardens, with the charity warning “poor decisions” could be made if its status as a statutory consultee is removed. 

Dave Morris, chair of the National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces, said: “It’s worrying that the Government seems to be wanting less consultation with public bodies that are standing up for the interests of the residents of this country.

“I think in the planning process, those with power and money, such as developments and councils, need to have the balance of community representatives having a strong and powerful voice.

“The country’s park and green spaces are absolutely essential facilities for all sections of our communities and they must have the best possible protection.” 

Ian Sansbury, chief executive of Mind Over Mountains, said the report highlights what the nature mental health charity sees “every day”, adding: “Green spaces and time in nature are our natural health service, vital for building mental fitness and easing pressure on the NHS.”

The Gardens Trust denies slowing down the planning system — in 2024-25, the charity only made 69 objections to planning applications, including schemes that would have seen around 1,100 new homes built on or affecting sites it protects.

Many of the cherished landscapes it works to protect are on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.

Famous and historic places such as Birkenhead Park on Merseyside, Chatsworth House Gardens in Derbyshire and Highgate Cemetery in London are among the more than 1,700 sites on the register.

The Gardens Trust warns that without its expertise, in theory all could be under threat from housebuilders, developers and highway construction.

Ms Groves said the charity is particularly concerned about Grade II-listed parks and gardens, examples of which include Parliament Square, Finsbury Park and Chelsea Hospital.

“We’re the only consultee for Grade II, and Grade II are 65% of what’s on the register, which actually is only just around 1,000 parks and gardens,” she said.

“They’re incredibly rare, these aren’t places where we’ve got so many of them, we can afford to lose a few.

“They’re really, really special and tend to be the places that are most accessible to everyday people in their normal lives.”

The Gardens Trust says its role as a statutory consultee costs the taxpayer less than £44,000 per year. 

The charity, made up mainly of a team of volunteers, estimates that if it did not carry out this work, the cost to local authorities to plug the gap could be more than £30 million.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “There is absolutely no intention for historic parks or listed spaces to be built on by this Government."