Business community delivers verdict on planning changes

BUSINESSES and local authorities across the West Midlands have delivered their verdict on the changes to national planning regulations.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework proposes making the planning process easier in order to secure growth. However, the government has pledged that policies protecting areas such as the green belt and sites of special scientific interest will be preserved.

Proposed changes include helping councils to create garden cities, allowing communities to say where renewable energy schemes such as wind farms should be located and allowing councils to provide town centre parking so that high streets can compete more favourably with out-of-town shopping centres.

Wouter Schuitemaker, investment director at inward investment programme Business Birmingham – which covers Birmingham, the Black Country and Solihull – said: “Simplifying planning regulations will undoubtedly affect the redevelopment of regional economic hubs such as the Birmingham city region, by removing barriers to growth, boosting investment in infrastructure and unlocking the regeneration of urban brownfield sites.

“Birmingham already attracts more foreign direct investment than any other regional UK city, and to maintain this influx of finance the Government must provide investors with a warm welcome, not planning delays or red tape.”

He said Birmingham was already ahead of the game when it came to presenting investors with a clear local plan outlining its development objectives. Its Big City Plan is a 20-year vision that aligns Birmingham’s redevelopment with sustainable economic growth – while Local Development Orders set out by the city’s Enterprise Zone were a vital part of its proposition to companies looking to locate in the area.

“By highlighting in his Budget speech that investors are put off by complex planning regulations in the UK, the Chancellor recognised that we need to make it easier for organisations to locate or invest here,” added Mr Schuitemaker.

“Relaxing planning permissions is a clear step forward, but to stimulate more inward investment into regional cities it needs to be complemented with support for local authorities to implement these new regulations as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Planning legal director David Brammer, legal director for planning at DLA Piper in Birmingham, said: “All of this does indeed sound like ‘good news’ for those in favour of development.

“Despite changes that have been made in light of consultation responses to the draft NPPF, others remain concerned that a presumption in favour of development will threaten open countryside, harm the environment, discourage the brownfield first approach, and lead to urban sprawl.

“There will also be concern that the brevity of the guidance, far from simplifying matters will lead to legal challenges to the interpretation of the new policy, delaying, rather than speeding up, the planning process.”

He said ultimately, until planning applications started to be determined in accordance with the new policy it would not become clear whether the reforms outlined by the government would succeed in creating a planning system that is fit for purpose. 

“At this stage the NPPF looks set to be a good thing for the economic prosperity of the region, provided, of course, that the promised safeguards for communities and the wider environment are delivered,” he added.

Colin Totney, a director of Midlands estate agents and auctioneers CPBigwood, said there was unlikely to be an immediate surge of new house building.

He said: “I think it will assist development but I am not at all sure it will prove the panacea some are claiming it will be.

“The biggest difficulty facing the housing market at the moment is demand. Until demand improves, and mortgages become more affordable, house builders are unlikely to build lots of additional new homes.”

Staffordshire County Council has welcomed the changes; saying they strike the right balance between protecting the environment and helping to deliver jobs.

Cllr Ben Adams, the council’s cabinet member for economic growth and enterprise, who is responsible for planning policy, said: “The delivery of a less complex planning process which can help regeneration projects to get off the ground more quickly and stimulate job creation will add to Staffordshire’s drive for greater prosperity.

“We already work closely with our local planning authorities to ensure we are doing all we can to make planning applications for business, leisure and community infrastructure run as smoothly as possible.”

He said recent examples of co-operation included work with South Staffordshire Council on Jaguar Land Rover’s new £355m engine plant and Lichfield District Council on the £20m investment by French mineral water firm Roxane for a new plant in Fradley.

“Our plans for Redhill Business Park in Stafford are also due to be submitted very soon to Stafford Borough Council which has involved close working from the beginning,” he added.

“Future developments obviously need to be in the interest of the people of Staffordshire and approval made on their merit.

“This new framework puts planning decisions back into the hands of local authorities, not regional quangos, and removes some of the unnecessary bureaucracy which can stall economic growth. It will complement Staffordshire’s red carpet approach to potential investors.”