Planning consents are to be extended for a temporary period as part of a package of measures announced by the new housing minister John Healey to help developers and the industry through the downturn. Healey, who replaced Margaret Beckett following last month’s cabinet reshuffle, said he was giving local authorities the power to extend the time limit of three years for existing planning permissions. “This will help to make sure that more homes get built at a time when investing in new developments is difficult and access to lending is hard,” he explained. <br> <br> Healey also announced measures to simplify the planning system so that gaining permission would be easier, using local development orders (LDOs) that local authorities could use to make changes to large developments and town centres. The housing minister also mapped out the next step towards zero carbon which is a 25% improvement on current standards for all new homes or buildings from 2010, as well as announcing the proposed changes to Building Regulations Part F (ventilation) and L (conservation of fuel and power). For Part F, changes have been proposed to ensure there is adequate ventilation in buildings. Part L proposals focus on changes to …