A group of business companies, including the British Property Federation (BPF) and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has welcomed the Government’s proposed Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), but has warned it must be given the resources it needs to do the job properly.

The group has written to planning minister Yvette Cooper offering their support for the Government’s IPC proposals, outlined in the Planning White Paper. The Government intends to specify what transport, energy and waste infrastructure is needed and where, as agreed in National Policy Statements formally set out by Parliament.

The new commission, an independent body accountable to the Government, is being created to fast-track the planning process for these nationally important infrastructure projects.