Analysts suggest legislation to implement white paper reforms may not come forward before May local elections

The government is unlikely to bring forward its planning bill this year and may even delay it until after next year鈥檚 May local elections, according to planning experts.

It has faced a huge backlash from its own backbench MPs since publishing proposals to reform the planning system in August, which included a white paper, Planning for the Future, proposing the zoning of land and the abolition of section 106.

Green belt land

Proposals were published in August but publication of the bill is facing delay until after next May鈥檚 local elections

Measures in the white paper will require primary legislation to be brought into effect, but Hugh Ellis, director of policy at the Town and Country Planning Association, said officials at the department had told him the bill was unlikely to be published before the end of the year.

He said: 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very clear it won鈥檛 be delivered on the timetable originally indicated 鈥� it鈥檚 not going to happen as quick as the cadre around Number 10 want it to.鈥�

The government has promised to have the planning system envisaged in the white paper up and running before the end of this parliament, which experts say is likely to requir