The Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership is calling for all to help create a development charter to speed up building projects.
The organisation, which lobbies to improve infrastructure and conditions for business, says it needs private developers and local authorities across Lincolnshire to join a group which will help shape the charter.
The idea is to get all parties involved in new projects such as housing, retail or industrial developments (including private developers, local authority planners, highways, utility companies and phone and Internet providers) to work together from the start of a project. This will help identify potential problems which could slow a project down at an early stage, ensuring quicker investment into the local economy.
The charter will set out an agreed timeline of when all work will be done offering those investing in a new scheme the peace of mind that time and money won’t be wasted overcoming hurdles which could easily be avoided.
Richard Hardesty (pictured), from the Greater Lincolnshire LEP Secretariat, said: “We identified that there were several barriers to growth in the Greater Lincolnshire area, two of which were planning and red tape.
“The proposed creation of this charter aims to tackle those issues. It just makes sense that everyone who would be involved in a development at any point would get together at the start of the process, and then regularly throughout, to make sure that any potential problems can be addressed.
“For example, you could have a developer who wants to open a new shop, which will lead to better local services, jobs and investment into the local economy. The shop might get to the point where it is ready to open but then it could be delayed because of the lack of a highways improvement which was required as part of the planning conditions.
“If both parties had known this information in advance the delay could have been avoided.”
The LEP will use the charter to identify areas of difficulty and lobby Government for change. Anyone interested in being involved is asked to email GLLEPsecretariat@lincolnshire.gov.uk by January 31.
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