However Nick Boles, the planning minister, is planning a new wave of reforms
which will open the way for even more development than April.

Mr Boles said that the reforms will “significantly cut the burdens of
unnecessary planning applications” and “save the industry precious
time and money”.

He said: “[The Department] is bringing in reforms which will
significantly cut the burdens of unnecessary planning applications, help
local authorities and developers reduced the administration involved in
Environmental Impact Assessment cases, and simplify the listed building
consent system.

“These policies will save industry precious time and money, allowing
businesses to move forward productively without the constraints of heavy
handed and unnecessary regulation.”

The Coalition will unveil a package of measures in April to help meet its
target of building hundreds of thousands of new homes to help stimulate the
economy.

One of the most significant measures gives developers new powers to ignore
councils and push ahead with new housing.

When councils grant planning permission, they usually do so with conditions
attached such as building flood defences, planting trees or landscaping.

However, housebuilders claim that councils are delaying tens of thousands of
new homes by failing sign off the conditions.

The new legislation will mean that planning applications will be automatically
approved if councils “fail to discharge a condition in time”.

Richard Blyth, the head of policy at the Royal Town and Planning Institute,
said that the policy will mean developers “can hold everybody to ransom”.

He said: “We are concerned it is a very blunt instrument. Local
councillors work hard to reflect public opinion in developments, and if it
later turns out that a lot of these conditions have not been met residents
might feel let down. It is a nuclear option.”

Councillor Mike Jones, the chairman of the local government association’s
housing board, said the conditions are “vital” and help “protect
communities” from unwanted developments.

The second new measure will reduce the need for environmental assessments to
assess of the impact of large scale developments on the countryside

At present developers have to consider carrying out an “environmental
impact assessment” when a development such as a new housing estate,
shopping centre or cinema covers more than an acre of land.

Under the assessments, officials take into account the impact a development
will have on the landscape, animals, flora and fauna and suggest potential
measures to mitigate damage to the environment.

However, the proposed legislation would raise the threshold to a significantly
higher level than an acre, exempting thousands of developments from the need
to have an environmental assessment.

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: “We
are concerned that too many unreasonable conditions are imposed, which can
be up to a hundred different requirements.

“In turn, these can then prevent construction works starting on sites and
houses being built, sometimes adding years to the planning process.”