The government should give an incentive to encourage development at next week’s Comprehensive Spending Review, the British Property Federation has urged.

The BPF said the government should encourage commercial development using a similar incentive to the New Homes Bonus planned for the residential sector. Under this residential funding scheme, the council matches the council tax raised on each new house for six years.

It also endorsed the government approach of sharing skills between local authorities, including the merging of planning departments.

Liz Peace, BPF chief executive, said: “If we are to make the Big Society work, it’s important we see planning applications processed quickly and a further increase in the pool receiving training in this area. Planners and allied professional need to have a good grasp of the issues that affect development viability locally.”

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