Developers welcome Labour’s intention to liberalise planning regime

Compulsory housing targets revived to spur building of 1.5m homes over five years in England and Wales

• King's speech - live update

Developers have welcomed Labour's intentions to liberalise the planning regime in England and Wales to kickstart the building of new homes and infrastructure, even as rural organisations warn about the possible consequences.

Labour announced on Wednesday it would enact a series of measures to make it easier to get planning permission, including forcing local authorities to stick to mandatory housing targets and making it easier for government bodies to issue compulsory purchase orders.