Planning Officers' Society president David Hackforth has warned whoever forms the incoming government to avoid another complete overhaul in planning while the 2004-8 process of change is still bedding down.
Whether the incoming government will have much time to worry about areas like planning in the coming months remains to be seen, but the Society was quick to urge against further radical reform.
"The system has turned out more complex than it was before reforms were put in place, so it would be good to get back to something simpler and quicker," he said.
"But the last thing it needs is the upheaval caused by a complete overhaul."
He said that, although it would be nice to get back to something simpler and quicker, the new government should not lose sight of planning's positive role.
Ensuring that development happened in the right place, helping economic recovery and tackling climate change are all areas where planning has a big role to play.
"The worst thing in the world would be to see planning go back to being just a regulatory system," he said.
