The government has published its response to the Killiam Pretty review of red tape and will consult in the summer on: - relaxed rules for minor alterations and extensions to small business premises and public buildings - streamlined approach to minor amendments to planning permissions. This has been possible for Building regs for years but on planning you have to start all over again. A long overdue change - relaxation on changes to shopfronts - streamlining information requirements. There was an explosion in these after a recent circular. Many authorities refuse to register applications until details of method statements have been submitted. The process seems somewhat ponderous and lethargic, with a progress review in Summer 2009 and results at some unspecified point in the future.