The Government wants to cut red tape on planning permission, allowing pubs to make minor alterations without needing consents.
Planning minister John Healey announced proposals that would mean over 25,000 non-domestic planning proposals a year would no longer need full planning permission. This will mean pubs won't face delays starting work or have to pay planning fees, which can be as high as £2,000.
Healey said: "We want to make it easier for businesses in this economic climate — these proposals will cut red tape and bureaucracy.
"By taking smaller applications out of the planning system and cutting the amount of unnecessary information required for planning applications we can save up to £90m a year, which would usually be lost in the administrative process."
He said the new proposals would "make life simpler for councils" as they would be able to focus on major applications. "It's vital that we operate a more cost-effective and efficient planning system now so it doesn't stifle economic recovery in the future," he added.
Andy Sutch, executive director at Business in Sport & Leisure, said: "Government is trying to streamline the planning process. This is a huge step forward.
"We welcome anything that removes constrictions on the industry — one which has to be able to respond quickly to changes in public taste."
Most business planning applications are classed as minor developments. These reforms will ensure around 30% of minor changes will be taken out of the planning system altogether or subject to a much simpler process.
A consultation on the reforms is open until 23 October 2009.