The East Midlands Chamber has backed calls to overhaul the UK’s planning system to speed up building projects and support growth in Beeston, Nottinghamshire. In early 2026 the Chamber endorsed the British Chambers of Commerce report “Planning for Business and Growth,” which describes the planning system as broken and urges faster decision-making to help communities thrive.
Business leaders say a faster planning system would make it easier to convert long-empty shops on the High Road into mixed-use housing and modern commercial spaces. The British Chambers of Commerce report and the Chamber say slow decision-making is acting as a barrier to private investment in town centres.
Locally, the Chamber says reforms would help unlock the next stages of the Beeston Square redevelopment and other housing schemes. The Chamber is calling for central government to bolster capacity at local planning authorities — including more planning staff, digitised processes, and clearer, simpler rules and timelines — as set out in its Framework for Growth.
Scott Knowles, Chief Executive of East Midlands Chamber, said clearer timescales and additional planning capacity are vital to prevent investment being held back by a slow system.
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