RICS Policy Director Michael Chambers said: 'There is a great deal of agreement on the problems that affect the current planning system – inconsistency, slowness, and an increasingly complex framework of plan-making and guidance.'

The main RICS recommendation is the abolition of the existing county structure plans and their replacement by a national spatial development strategy. This would identify requirements in transport infrastructure, energy, communications and housing .It also wants to see local plans changed to make them more relevant and up-to-date.

The RICS is also calling for a 'fast track' planning system which could allow local authorities to concentrate resources on larger development that can deliver economic and social benefits, in return for a higher fee. The organisation believes developers would be willing to pay more for their planning applications, provided the money is used to provide quicker and more consistent decisions.