COUNCIL ELECTION SPECIAL – An overview of all the political parties and what they stand for and how to appeached them.

6 May

As many of you will know by now, planning has become incredibly political and with the increased fragmentation of election results with more of the formerly smaller parties becoming dominant in Local Government. This WILL inevitably have an impact on the chances of success of getting planning consents.

From the housing crisis to the green belt and net-zero infrastructure, planning and development, commercial developments, renewables etc. sit at the absolute heart of the local debate.

But navigating the shifting political landscape isn’t easy.

At The CCP, we don’t do echo chambers. Our specialist public affairs and communications team is proudly built from across the political spectrum—featuring former advisors and campaigners from all political parties.

This diversity is our superpower. It means we don't just guess what local authorities and councillors are thinking; we understand the ideological drivers behind their planning decisions.

In the run up to Polling Day, our cross-party experts will break down exactly where each major political party stands on planning ahead of May 7th.

REFORM UK

First up is a look one of the newer political parties - Reform UK, with James Mills. James is a former leader of West Oxfordshire District Council and a board member of both the District Council Network and Southeast Councils.

Reform UK views the current planning system as an overly bureaucratic barrier to economic growth. They heavily champion deregulation and the prioritisation of local people in housing allocation.

You can see our colleague James Mills our Reform UK expert share his thoughts here:

The CCP Strategy Tip: When engaging with Reform-led or highly influenced councils, frame your projects around direct support for small businesses, local employment, and brownfield remediation rather than complex green sustainability targets.

How will the growing influence of Reform UK impact your pipeline? Let's strategise your local engagement.

James@theccp.net or call 07917 566 374

CONSERVATIVE PARTY

The Conservatives and Planning: Balancing Growth with Local Consent

Next in our CCP Election Special, Felicity Roochove who worked for over 20 years as a senior Conservative Party Campaign Director across the North and specifically North West of England, takes a look at the Conservatives. The Conservative Party's approach to planning remains deeply rooted in localism and the preservation of community character. Conservative councils frequently find themselves walking a tightrope between desperate national housing needs and strong local "anti-sprawl" sentiment.

The CCP Strategy Tip: Securing consent in Conservative-held areas requires early, proactive community engagement. Do not lead with numbers; lead with heritage, aesthetics, and robust infrastructure upgrades.

Want to know how to win hearts and minds in Tory-held wards? Get in touch with our specialist team.

You can see our colleague Felicity Roochove our Conservative expert share her thoughts here:

felicity@theccp.net or call 07796 176 439

GREEN PARTY

The Green Party and Planning: The Net-Zero Imperative

In the third profile of our CCP Election Special, our Dr Phelim Mac Cafferty, former Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, with twelve years as a councillor, examines the Green Party's rapidly growing influence on planning.

The Green Party has seen a massive surge in local government representation. Their councillors often look at planning through the lens of the climate emergency with Zero-carbon building standards, maximum preservation of green spaces and highly walkable "20-minute neighbourhoods" a key part of their planning policies.

The CCP Strategy Tip: Standard compliance is not enough here. To gain traction in Green-influenced planning committees, developers need to showcase pioneering sustainable designs, exemplary circular economy practices, and extensive rewilding.

Discover how we communicate sustainability with Green Party Stakeholders from our colleague Dr Phélim Mac Cafferty:

phelim@theccp.net or call 07765 474 621

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

The Liberal Democrats and Planning: Community-Led and Infrastructure-First.

Today, Oliver Patrick, Vice Chair of Planning Committee South at Somerset Council and former Community Engagement Officer for a LibDem MP. Looks at the Liberal Democrats and their distinct approach to local planning.

The Lib Dems are historically formidable in local government, often campaigning heavily on hyper-local planning issues. A strong emphasis on ensuring that infrastructure—schools, GP surgeries, and transport—is locked in before large-scale housing is approved.

The CCP Strategy Tip: If you are operating in a Lib Dem-controlled or contested council, your master plan must demonstrate Day 1 infrastructure viability.

Navigating a highly active local campaign? Our colleague Oliver talks us through the key issues:

oliver@theccp.net or call 07969 269 416

LABOUR PARTY

As we continue our CCP Election Special, Duncan Enright, Deputy Leader of West Oxfordshire District Council and veteran of planning committees dives into the Labour Party's evolving approach to planning.
Labour has placed planning at the very top of its economic growth agenda, reintroducing mandatory housing targets, fast-tracking brownfield developments, and looking at low-quality "grey belt" land.

Our colleague Duncan Enright talks us through some interesting points to take into consideration on Labour authorities:

The CCP Strategy Tip: To succeed in Labour-led authorities, developers must align strictly with strict social value metrics, affordable housing quotas, and tangible community benefits.

Duncan@theccp.net or call 07721 419 546

Next week we will examine the election results in more details.

Henry Lamprecht